Len Ashworth
Thefts of garden furniture and ornaments around the Lithgow district have now reached the stage of significant crime with the value of stolen property in less than two weeks totalling several thousand dollars.
There was another wave of thefts at the weekend adding to the rally.
When the brazen thefts began almost two weeks ago they were initially regarded as someone’s stupid idea of a joke – albeit a criminal one.
But it’s been no laughing matter to the victims or the police as the incidence of the crimes continues to soar.
The thefts have extended over a very wide area of Lithgow, Marrangaroo and South Bowenfels and have involved some heavy objects that would require at least two persons and a large vehicle to complete the removal.
In some instances the thieves have been so brazen that they have stolen items from front verandahs while the owners were sleeping just metres away.
The latest thefts occurred on Friday night or the early hours of Saturday and the thieves had obviously been very busy with police receiving at least eight new reports.
Thefts occurred at properties as far apart as Marrangaroo Fields and Oakey Park.
Police received reports from two homes in Casuarina Street and at Sandalwood Street, Girraween Drive, Windara Place, Carbine Street, Inch Street and Read Avenue,
The haul included Grecian urns, a Chinese lantern, statues and park benches.
A valuable sandstone letterbox stolen from a home at Girraween Drive (Marrangaroo Fields) early on Saturday was later found dumped on the footpath in Methven Street, Lithgow.
In another incident at Marrangaroo Fields a large valuable garden pot was dropped by the thieves and broken but its matching partner was taken.
None of the other stolen property has been recovered.
Most heartless of the thefts was at a handicapped persons shelter in Lithgow where a park bench was stolen from the front garden.
The bench carried a plaque as a memorial to one of the deceased residents and the theft has caused a good deal of distress.
Police are anxious to hear from anyone who may observe a suspicious vehicle in their neighbourhood late at night, particularly a truck, van or large station wagon type.
