Call to ‘bring back the bucket’

Wellington’s famous, or according to some infamous, Bucket Fountain is missing a yellow bucket.

The cry has already gone out to ‘‘bring back the bucket’’.

Although it apparently went missing some weeks ago, news of the theft has only just filtered through to the Wellington City Council.

Spokesperson Richard MacLean said the council was keen to get the bucket back and return it to the 52-year-old Cuba Mall fountain.

A replacement would cost approximately $2000 and would take a little while to organise.

Devon Hancock, who works at nearby Cosmic Corner, said the bucket went missing on a regular basis. ‘‘It has happened four or five times over the last 18 months.’’

The fountain attracts visitors from all over New Zealand wanting to be photographed with it.

‘‘Everyone loves the fountain. When it is not working people come in and ask when will it be going. They can get quite angry, which is very funny.’’

Although she had no idea who took the bucket, she suspected it was the same person. It always went missing at night and was returned at night.

She supported the council’s call for the bucket to be returned as quickly as possible.

‘‘We want the bucket back as well.’’ As to why someone would steal it, MacLean said ‘‘all sorts of weird things’’ happened at night in Cuba Mall.

There were all ready ‘‘conspiracies theories’’ as to who stole it and why, and the council hoped to resolve the mystery by looking at CCTV.

‘‘We are not sure that our cameras cover the buckets, but we will soon find out.’’

It was not the first time the bucket had gone on walkabout, MacLean said.

After going missing in February 2016 it was returned after a public outcry but reappeared as ‘‘a yucky psychedelic pink colour’’.

At the time it was reported that it had been stolen in the ‘‘dead of the night’’ and returned, again under the cover of darkness, a few days later.

The fountain, a kinetic sculpture, was designed by Burren and Keen and erected in 1969.

‘‘When it is not working people come in and ask when will it be going.’’ Devon Hancock

MONIQUE FORD/STUFF Devon Hancock – supervisor at Cuba Mall business Cosmic Corner – wants whoever has the bucket missing from the Bucket Fountain to return it.