Rustlers ruin fun front yard
Dianne Green was enjoying a cup of tea on her deck when she noticed something was amiss in her front yard.
Four of the 63-year-old’s beloved resin animals, including Billy the sheep, a lamb, piglet and farm dog were gone.
“Something just doesn’t quite look right. Where is my sheep?” she recalled thinking on Tuesday morning.
Green has displayed the farm animals on the lawn of her Ranui home for the past two years, much to the enjoyment of local children.
Now thieves have not only upset Green but all those in the West Auckland community who loved the display as much as she did.
“Fat lot of good my bloody sheep dog was, it didn’t even bark or anything,” she said, laughing.
Green said the relatively small monetary value of the animals wasn’t as important as the joy it brought the community.
“[It’s] so much fun, you just can’t imagine the joy. To see the kids, they just love it,” she said.
Green’s collection started with Billy, a spur of the moment roadside purchase, who was named following her comedian son Brendon’s Billy T comedy award nomination.
The number of animals quickly grew to include the farm dog, pig, Shetland pony, lamb, rooster and four chickens, while her friend also built a farmhouse.
“I think in the back of my head I knew this possibly wasn’t a sensible thing to be doing, but I refused to take them away,” she said.
“It’s a beautiful street. I know everyone on my street and they’re all devastated.”
Green’s son Brendon said several people believed they’d eventually be stolen. “Everyone she met said, ‘someone’s going to steal them, put them away, or put them out the back of the house at least’.
“To which my mum always re- plied, ‘but then nobody would enjoy them. They’re out there for me to look at, and for everyone passing to enjoy. If I hide them away, nobody will enjoy them’.” The matter has been reported to police.