Fruit trees planted as memorial stolen
Theft happened between 6pm Wednesday and 11am Thursday THIEVES HAD WRENCHED APPLE AND PEAR PLANTS DEDICATED TO FAMILY’S GRANDPA OUT OF POTS
A FAMILY is reeling after thieves went on their allotment and stole fruit trees they had planted in memory of a beloved grandfather they lost this year.
Matthew Stow-Poynor, his partner Amy and their children – three girls and a boy, aged six months to 10 years – planted the apple, pear, cherry and plum trees on their small patch in Earl Shilton in April after his grandfather, Terry, died.
When they arrived to work on the allotment, in Heath Court, off Hinckley
Road, on Thursday morning, they discovered an apple and a pear had been wrenched from their pots and stolen.
Matthew, 31, said: “It’s awful. I just can’t fathom why someone would do this, steal a couple of little fruit trees.
“I’ve tried to explain to the children what has happened and why, but I really don’t know how to tell them someone would steal some trees planted in someone’s memory.
“We planted five trees, one chosen by me and one by each of the four
kids.
“We only planted them in April, so they’re only very young trees. “We were going to watch them grow together over the years. We took the allotment on in January. It’s been hard wok, but we’re getting there. “Everything else there is unscathed. There are tools stored there and they’ve not been touched.
“We’ve had a good walk around the area in case they’ve pulled the trees out of the pots and thrown them somewhere. But there’s no sign of them anywhere.”
He said he and his partner and children have been heartened by people’s offers to replace the trees.
A police spokeswoman said: “Police received a call just after 11am on Thursday reporting the theft of an apple tree plant and a pear tree plant from an allotment in Heath Court, Hinckley Road, Earl Shilton.
“It has been reported the theft happened some time between 6pm on Wednesday and 11am on Thursday.
“Anyone with any should contact 101.”
It’s awful. I just can’t fathom why someone would do this, steal a couple of little fruit trees
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