Break-in at Walsall Road

[Squash64]

I went over to feed the cats at 6.45 this morning and found that we had had yet another break-in.

They had broken the garage door
[attachment=1]

broken into the pavilion
[attachment=2]
[attachment=3]

broken into the stores

but worst of all..............

gone in our new greenhouse, removed the tops of the staging and thrown all my plants on the floor. :'(  :'(  :'(
[attachment=4]
[attachment=5]

I had only just potted on my courgettes, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers and a few other things yesterday so they hadn't formed rootballs and all the compost and plants were all on the floor.  I could have cried.

The thieves had piled everything on to the car park but must have been disturbed because nothing has actually left the site.
[attachment=6]

The police came and were very nice.  Forensics came and found a cigarette butt on the floor inside the pavilion, which is a no smoking area so there is a slight possibility that the thieves dropped it.

I've repotted all the plants that weren't damaged and Shirl and Tone helped me to take them over to a friend's greenhouse.  I won't be using the new one again.

[Squash64]

[Dopey]

I wont say what I think of the toe rags... family forum and all, but I sympathise with you, but dont let it get you down... the scum bags
I had some bad dealings with the next door neighbour on Monday, it involved 6 armed police turning up, and 4 unarmed police, I wont go in to the details of it all, but cops are good, they understand your feelings

[gazza1960]

Gutted for you as I know how hard everybody had worked together to get your GH up and running,from the looks of it scrap value metal is what was being chored so could be anybody I guess.

Sorry your plants got trashed,little comfort that you could salvage them,but hopefully they still grow on.

Bas****s..!!!!!!!!!!!!! should .......Oh never mind  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sending you a hug  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!x

Gazza

[mentallot]

Off topic but along the lines of the police help !

Some years ago we loaned a pony out. To cut a long story short the pony was then moved on to a bunch of "travellers", and not well looked after. After a call from the RSPCA and some research with landowner and some calls to the local police, we went up to collect the pony. Without the police, the armed response unit and a couple of vans of dog handlers there's no chance we would have got the pony or its unborn foal out.

20 kids following you around screaming "Feck! why are you stealing my pony" in your face and a bunch of unpleasant adults aggresively demanding "where the feck do you live" is a little unsettling

Many thanks boys and girls in blue :)

[Poppy Mole]

I feel so sorry for you. Just WHY do these people do such things?? I'm sorry if it upsets anyone but bring back proper discipline in schools & the home & teach children respect. I hope the police catch up with them & make them do a lot of community gardening perhaps that will make them realise just what upset their actions caused.

[lorna]

Yet another sad story of people (that is polite) destroying things that honest people work so hard for. So sorry to hear this.Glad you had Shirl and Tone to give you a hand. Lets hope they catch the rat bags.

[macmac]

So sorry to hear this Betty what "slugs" they are  >:(
Maybe the cigarette might help,when our garage at home was broken into the lowlife cut himself on the window he carefully removed,the spot of blood he left behind was matched on the D.N.A. data base and he got 28 days.
Quite funny really ,it must have taken him ages to get the glass out but the minute he got inside the alarms went off  ;D ;D;and I'm surprised he didn't break his neck as the garage is such a mess ;D ;D ;D He'd never have found the good stuff 'cos there is so much rubbish in there  ;D ;D ;D
I'm making light of our breakin as he did little damage and didn't take anything.
Your plants are precious we all know the hard work that goes into gardening,'hope they catch 'em
xx

[peanuts]

Just so very sorry, Betty.  "I could have cried" - A'm amazed you didn't.  I would have done.  Seeing wilful or even just storm damage to plants lovingly grown really hurts.
Don't give up.  I know you won't.  You deserve all the support you can get, and trying again is the best example you can give to all your fellow allotmenteers

[shirlton]

They had been in our one shed at the one corner of the site, taken the steps that we found dumped at the gate and they had also been over to far side of the site, taken our wheelbarrow to carry the bloke next doors double glazing from his make do GH over to the pavilion.
All the bric a brac that had been sorted and put into the boxes for the next open day had been tipped off the shelves in the stores. All in a heap.
They didn't take any tools from the sheds, but cut through one of the legs on our new fruit cage. Someone had swung on our posh wilkies arch and it was all twisted.
Just makes you feel sick. Poor Betty had spent hours potting all her plants up.
Would I like to get my hands on em??????    *&%*$"

[galina]

I am so very sorry to hear about this Betty.  Wish I was there to give you a big hug - I am so glad you had Shirl and Tone there.  Not again.

*fatherless children*!!!

Another hug for you.

[Jeannine]

There are no words I can say, except I am so very sorry XX Jeannine

[pete JB]

Betty,

So sorry to hear of this. I`m quite angry sitting at the computer right now !
These individuals are absolute scumbags in my opinion.
I know how much effort and love goes into an allotment so I`m really feeling for you .

Kind regards

Pete

[cambourne7]

i want to swear :( mindless!!! did they take much stuff?

[pumkinlover]

PM sent

[manicscousers]

Such a shame for you all, hope your seedlings survive x

[Squash64]

Thanks everyone, it's so good to have a place like this where people understand.

As far as we know, nothing at all was removed from the site.  They piled everything up on the car park as though they were waiting for transport to arrive.  I can only assume that they were disturbed, maybe by someone coming very early to water their greenhouse, who knows?

The Council were very good and sent some men out to repair the garage door and put new fittings on the pavilion door so we can lock them.  However, it seems pointless locking them only for them to be smashed open again so we are going to just close the doors but not lock them.  We keep things like tea, coffee, sugar etc. in the kitchen so we'll just have to take a chance with them.  At least they didn't steal the cat food this time, but they did take the toilet paper!

I was so happy to know that there was such a lot of space in the greenhouse for all my seedlings, and I do have LOTS.  Now, I will be borrowing space in plot holders' greenhouses again. 

[Digeroo]

but they did take the toilet paper!

Perhaps the little sh*ts need it.

I cried one year that mice ate my courgette seedlings.  I would have really had floods if some grotty had vandalised them.

[cornykev]

Your inbox is full Betty.    ::)

[elvis2003]

so very sorry to read this betty,and your precious greenhouse too,hope you can fall back in love with it again in time, big hugs to you all xxxxx

[Squash64]

Your inbox is full Betty.    ::)

Just sorted it Kev,