Thursday, June 4, 2009

Theft heartache for cancer survivor

A mother who beat cancer last year has spoken of her heartache after treasured plant pots bought by her daughters were stolen from her front garden. Edie Stonham, 81, from Dennis Road, Hellesdon, was asleep in her bungalow when callous thieves loaded the tubs onto a people carrier at about midnight on Friday, May 29. Mrs Stonham, who needed an operation after being diagnosed with bowel cancer last year, said the tubs were special as they had been Christmas and birthday presents from her daughters Julie Stonham and Diane Lees. The widowed grandmother-of-two was forced to pave over her garden after suffering cancer, and the pots, which were full of plants, had been bought to cheer her up and brighten up her garden, which is renowned as one of the best-kept gardens in the neighbourhood. She said: “I cannot express in words how I feel. It's so petty to steal things like that from someone's garden. “They were special to me because they were presents and I had spent a lot of time on them. The people who took them cannot get much for them, so I don't know why they did it.”Her daughter Mrs Lees, 48, an office worker from Trowse, said her mother's garden was her pride and joy.She said: “My mum's front garden was one of the best in Hellesdon and people would comment on it. “Last year mum had cancer so she had the garden paved over with concrete. “We bought mum some tubs, which were easy to maintain, for Christmas, and filled them with flowers. And for her birthday in May we bought her some more. Mum has spent a lot of time in the front garden. “It's quite an emotional thing and mum's gutted, to be honest. “Having gone through the year we went through last year it is particularly upsetting.” Mrs Lees said a neighbour had seen a people carrier outside Mrs Stonham's house on the night they were stolen, and had rung the police. She also said police told her that there had been a spate of plant pot thefts in recent months in Hellesdon, Horsford and Taverham.

Meanwhile, Holt Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) is investigating the theft of large garden ornaments in the last few months. The items include a large stone ball from a pillar, an ornamental cat and garden pots. Last month pensioner Keith Brown from Holt Road, Horsford, had three hanging baskets stolen from his home, just weeks after having £460 taken from his card by scammers. Police said that most of these items would require two people to lift and carry, and said criminals are targeting the more valuable ornaments so they can sell them onto yards, or even sell at auctions and markets. Police said owners of ornaments are advised to mark the items by engraving them with the post code. This not only acts as a deterrent but enables such items to be returned to the owners should they come into police possession. Anyone with information about the theft from Mrs Stonham's garden should contact Norfolk Constabulary on 0845 4564567. For the thefts in Holt, ring PCSO Rachel Howard at Holt SNT on sntholt@norfolk.pnn.police.uk or 0845 4564567.

(Reproduced from the Norwich Evening News, June 4th)

GARDIEN TIP: Use heavy bricks inside plant pots to make them more dfficult to move, or better still make sure they are all postcoded to remove their resale value, See our property marking advice at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/SelectaMark-Property-Marking.aspx

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