Theft a ‘grave’ error
Pinched pot contained remains of pet budgies
ROBINA resident James Drummond has never minded the occasional lettuce or flower going missing, but last week the thieves targeting his community garden went too far.
The 70-year-old arrived early in the morning last Wednesday to discover a ceramic pot had been stolen, the same pot he and his partner had buried their budgies Aussie, Cheeky and Micky in.
“In 15 years we’ve had a budgie every five years and they become part of the family. They could talk, fly to your shoulder and everything,” he said.
“So when they died … my partner just wrapped them up in this certain pot which we had on our balcony in Palm Beach, it’s always been there and it had a little badge on it.
“It’s just annoying to think when they empty the thing the bones will be inside there, won’t they?
“A bad spirit will come out and grab them, scare them.”
After they moved to their Robina apartment two years ago the pot stayed at the Southern Beaches Community Garden, where Mr Drummond goes every morning.
Thieves had found the pot where it was hidden under vines and taken it, as well as digging up a number of expensive plants throughout the garden.
While CCTV cameras had been installed in the garden shed, there is nothing in place to prevent nonmembers from entering.
According to Mr Drummond other gardeners had given up planting anything else following the thefts, with many even thinking the garden is public property.
”I did see a woman go in … and she snipped flowers from every bed that had them,” he said.
“I said ‘you’ve just gone around and got $50-60 worth of flowers’, and she just walked out.
“They just take them and run.” probably