‘It is a kick in the guts’

The theft of two memorial sculptures from a Feilding park has green-thumbed guardians seeing red and the district council pleading for their return.

Two stone figures, dedicated to late community stalwart and Timona Park Orchard Trust founder Gill Absolon, were ripped from their mounts at some point between March 13 and 14, likely at night.

Absolon, who died in 2019, had spearheaded a community project to restore the wetland area in the northern corner of the park which the twin “Centurion” sculptures formed a gateway to.

They had been made by Lower Hutt sculptor Shivaun Hogan who won a special prize at the 2020 Kimbolton Sculpture Festival.

The orchard trust’s chairperson Barbara Robson said the statues were likely stolen overnight on Thursday, March 14 as friends who had walked in the park on the Tuesday and Wednesday had not noticed anything out of the ordinary.

She saw herself that they were gone on Friday morning.

“My initial reaction when I drove past was disbelief, shock, anger. And it is a kick in the guts.”

The figures had previously been wrenched from their plinths and dumped on the ground in August last year.

When reinstalled a plaque was added to make it clear they were a memorial to Absolon, in the hope of deterring further vandalism.

Robson said the figures were also fastened more securely, but being Oamaru stone they were prone to crumble when pressure was applied.

She hoped the thieves would do “the decent thing“and return them.

The white stone of the Centurions signified how white was the last colour Absolon was able to see as she lost much of her sight. “The white stood out.”

The Manawatū District Council is hoping the stolen sculptures stand out and are recognised by someone in the community.

Its parks and property officer James

Adamson said they were asking anyone with information to come forward if they have seen the figures or have any information on their whereabouts.

“If you have the sculptures, you can leave them next to where they were displayed – no questions asked.”

The council can be contacted on 06 323 0000.

MATTHEW DALLAS/STUFF Barbara Robson, chairperson of the Timona Park Orchard Trust, with one of the remaining plinths. The plaque was added late last year following vandalism, in the hope it might discourage further harm to the sculptures. Below: The twin “Centurion” sculptures, installed as a tribute to the late Gill Absolon and her passion for Timona Park, have been stolen.