‘Why would they steal from me?’
Buddha garden ornaments stolen from homes
"I thought it was just a cat or whatever and didn’t think anything of it until I drove out the next morning and, hell, they were gone." Mike Graveson
Stolen garden ornaments have got Te Puke’s Mike Graveson issuing a warning to others with Buddhas. “I wouldn’t steal from people, why would they steal from me?”
Earlier this month two large garden ornaments - a Buddha head and a standing Buddha - were taken from just outside his front door.
The same night, neighbour Mike St Hill Warren’s standing Buddha statue, along with some security lights that were in the front garden, were also taken.
“It’s just laziness it’s an easy way of making money, easy money,” said Graveson. “Just go and take other’s things off porches or in gardens and go and flog them off at a market on a Saturday or at some boot sale.”
He recalled his security lights being triggered in the night.
“I thought it was just a cat or whatever and didn’t think anything of it until I drove out the next morning and, hell, they were gone.”
He said he was in bed, but couldn’t remember exactly what the time was.
Graveson said the Buddhas had no spiritual significance, he just liked their appearance and bought them when he moved into the house three years ago.
After initially thinking he wouldn’t bother reporting the theft to the police he eventually did.
“I thought if I didn’t go and tell them what’s been stolen, then I would never get them back.”
Graveson has ordered replacements and has a plan to ensure they don’t disappear again by drilling an anchor point into the concrete then putting a chain around them.
He said he wanted to warn others so they could do what they could to prevent the loss of “Buddhas in particular”.
“There’s a chance that someone has already bought them and will see it [in the newspaper],” he said.
St Hill Warren described the thieves as “the lowest of the low”.
He had since had security cameras installed at a cost of $2500, but was unsure whether to replace what was taken.
“That’s more than I really need to spend so I don’t know if I will replace them - I would like to since [the lights] are attractive, but I’ll leave it in the meantime.”
With the cost of living crisis continuing to bite, he said: “I think it will get worse because this year’s going to get worse for people”.
Te Puke police Sergeant Mike Owen said he was aware of the thefts, but not of a more widespread problem.
“In Pa¯pa¯moa we have had a spate of garden ornaments being stolen previously, but it’s not something we’ve seen a lot of or a trend of [around Te Puke].”
He said in the past thefts have been by people who are setting up their own properties and “they feel like they are entitled to someone else’s gear”.
He said the Buddhas that were stolen were quite distinctive and asked people to be aware should they see something similar appear on Trade Me or Marketplace or “if they are offered for sale at a relatively cheap price, cheaper than they would ordinarily be second hand”.
He said as a general rule, garden ornaments are difficult to secure.
Security lights and cameras are one way of deterring would-be thieves.
“Security lights, people should make sure they are all operating and light up the areas people have to walk through to get to the ornaments.
“It’s also a good idea to get to know your neighbours so they know if someone turns up who shouldn’t really be there.”
Garden ornaments could be placed in areas where they can’t be seen from outside the section.
“Cameras are good, but it would need to be a good quality camera because it is generally going to be night time when these things are taken, so a good quality camera that can pick up good images at night.”
He said cameras could also help protect outdoor furniture and garden sheds.