Just come back from the allotments, we have to quit by the end of this month
so went down to gather up some of the pumpkins etc.
Shouldn't have bothered, the vandals have beaten us to it and any they
couldn't lift and drop to smash or throw around and break have had
canes/bits of wood rammed through them. We had some large Atlantic Giants
this year but all have been ruined.
They couldn't see half of the "We be little" so we have a few of those
cricket ball sized ones and some "Tonda Pedana" which are green and
therefore difficult to see amongst the leaves.
The only ones I can't see smashed around are the Turks Turbans which have
all gone so they appear to have been stolen, neatly cut from the plants too.
Possible two separate groups then.
They have also smashed/pulled up the cabbages and cauliflowers that were
ready and a lot of the tomatoes.
I haven't seen Sue sob so much since her Father died.
Gardening shouldn't be like this!

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

On 21/9/05 17:26, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote:

Just come back from the allotments, we have to quit by the end of this month
so went down to gather up some of the pumpkins etc.
Shouldn't have bothered, the vandals have beaten us to it and any they
couldn't lift and drop to smash or throw around and break have had
canes/bits of wood rammed through them. We had some large Atlantic Giants
this year but all have been ruined.
They couldn't see half of the "We be little" so we have a few of those
cricket ball sized ones and some "Tonda Pedana" which are green and
therefore difficult to see amongst the leaves.
The only ones I can't see smashed around are the Turks Turbans which have
all gone so they appear to have been stolen, neatly cut from the plants too.
Possible two separate groups then.
They have also smashed/pulled up the cabbages and cauliflowers that were
ready and a lot of the tomatoes.
I haven't seen Sue sob so much since her Father died.
Gardening shouldn't be like this!

Oh, Bob, how truly horrible. I am so very, very sorry to read this. Is
there anything you can do at the new allotment, when and if you get it, to
prevent this sort of thing? CCTV cameras, electric fencing, barbed wire
electric fencing, lottie holders on patrol every so often? Are the police
likely to be able to help?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...
: Just come back from the allotments, we have to quit by the end of this
month
: so went down to gather up some of the pumpkins etc.
: Shouldn't have bothered, the vandals have beaten us to it and any they
: couldn't lift and drop to smash or throw around and break have had
: canes/bits of wood rammed through them. We had some large Atlantic Giants
: this year but all have been ruined.
: They couldn't see half of the "We be little" so we have a few of those
: cricket ball sized ones and some "Tonda Pedana" which are green and
: therefore difficult to see amongst the leaves.
: The only ones I can't see smashed around are the Turks Turbans which have
: all gone so they appear to have been stolen, neatly cut from the plants
too.
: Possible two separate groups then.
: They have also smashed/pulled up the cabbages and cauliflowers that were
: ready and a lot of the tomatoes.
: I haven't seen Sue sob so much since her Father died.
: Gardening shouldn't be like this!
:
: --
: Regards
: Bob
: In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London
:
Keep reporting it to the police and make sure they call, that's how we
overcame it. Personally I'd like to shoot the little *******s

"Sacha" wrote ...
after "Bob wrote:

Just come back from the allotments, we have to quit by the end of this
month
so went down to gather up some of the pumpkins etc.
Shouldn't have bothered, the vandals have beaten us to it and any they
couldn't lift and drop to smash or throw around and break have had
canes/bits of wood rammed through them. We had some large Atlantic Giants
this year but all have been ruined.
They couldn't see half of the "We be little" so we have a few of those
cricket ball sized ones and some "Tonda Pedana" which are green and
therefore difficult to see amongst the leaves.
The only ones I can't see smashed around are the Turks Turbans which have
all gone so they appear to have been stolen, neatly cut from the plants
too.
Possible two separate groups then.
They have also smashed/pulled up the cabbages and cauliflowers that were
ready and a lot of the tomatoes.
I haven't seen Sue sob so much since her Father died.
Gardening shouldn't be like this!

Oh, Bob, how truly horrible. I am so very, very sorry to read this. Is
there anything you can do at the new allotment, when and if you get it,
to
prevent this sort of thing? CCTV cameras, electric fencing, barbed wire
electric fencing, lottie holders on patrol every so often? Are the
police
likely to be able to help?

Thanks for your kind words.
I'm on the friends group for the new Park/Allotment site so have been trying
to get full CCTV cover and there will be a 10ft high fence all round it.
The police? last time I phoned them the girl laughed! Chocolate teapots the
lot of them but then their hands are tied by the PC brigade.
Good job I didn't catch them at the time, you'd have read about me in the
papers tomorrow I was so angry.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Sacha" wrote ...
after "Bob wrote:

Just come back from the allotments, we have to quit by the end of this
month
so went down to gather up some of the pumpkins etc.
Shouldn't have bothered, the vandals have beaten us to it and any they
couldn't lift and drop to smash or throw around and break have had
canes/bits of wood rammed through them. We had some large Atlantic
Giants
this year but all have been ruined.
They couldn't see half of the "We be little" so we have a few of those
cricket ball sized ones and some "Tonda Pedana" which are green and
therefore difficult to see amongst the leaves.
The only ones I can't see smashed around are the Turks Turbans which
have
all gone so they appear to have been stolen, neatly cut from the plants
too.
Possible two separate groups then.
They have also smashed/pulled up the cabbages and cauliflowers that
were
ready and a lot of the tomatoes.
I haven't seen Sue sob so much since her Father died.
Gardening shouldn't be like this!

Oh, Bob, how truly horrible. I am so very, very sorry to read this. Is
there anything you can do at the new allotment, when and if you get it,
to
prevent this sort of thing? CCTV cameras, electric fencing, barbed wire
electric fencing, lottie holders on patrol every so often? Are the
police
likely to be able to help?

Thanks for your kind words.
I'm on the friends group for the new Park/Allotment site so have been
trying
to get full CCTV cover and there will be a 10ft high fence all round it.
The police? last time I phoned them the girl laughed!

You have been the victim of a crime, ie criminal damage. You should call the
police again, make it clear that you are reporting a crime. They are obliged
to issue a crime No. Don't let them fob you off with an incident No. This
way they have to put it on their crime statistics.

When we had our tools nicked from all 8 sheds on site, the cop had to record
it as 8 separate crimes. That didn't do his figures for the month much good
:-))

And I would make an official complaint about the wpc who laughed at you. A
crime is a crime, even when it's a pumpkin.

Steve

In article , Robert
writes
:
Keep reporting it to the police and make sure they call, that's how we
overcame it. Personally I'd like to shoot the little *******s



You could also use the local newspaper to highlight such a horrible
event and maybe also advertise the fact that you will be allotmentless
very soon. Maybe some people will be inspired to ask why or where you
will go etc.
Sorry to hear about the vandals Bob it would have been great to
photograph them with a mobile phone and pass the evidence to the papers.
Strange they should take this time to do it, just before the eviction.
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 17:26:45 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:

Just come back from the allotments, we have to quit by the end of this month
so went down to gather up some of the pumpkins etc.
Shouldn't have bothered, the vandals have beaten us to it and any they
couldn't lift and drop to smash or throw around and break have had
canes/bits of wood rammed through them. We had some large Atlantic Giants
this year but all have been ruined.

Sympathies, Bob. Our allotments have had the first year of no thefts
of shed-break-ins. This we put down to the fact that during last year
we had 8ft fence put on the two most vulnerable sides, with a
padlocked gate. The hedge was layered on side 3 and side 4 is to be
fenced early next year.
So sorry all your loving care has been negated.
Reminds me, I must bring home my 3 pumkins tomorrow!

Pam in Bristol

The message
from "Bob Hobden" contains these words:

/snip/

I haven't seen Sue sob so much since her Father died.
Gardening shouldn't be like this!

Commiserations. And you're not allowed to shoot the abstrads.

--
Rusty
Emus to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

"Janet Tweedy" wrote ..
:
Keep reporting it to the police and make sure they call, that's how we
overcame it. Personally I'd like to shoot the little *******s



You could also use the local newspaper to highlight such a horrible event
and maybe also advertise the fact that you will be allotmentless very
soon. Maybe some people will be inspired to ask why or where you will go
etc.
Sorry to hear about the vandals Bob it would have been great to photograph
them with a mobile phone and pass the evidence to the papers. Strange they
should take this time to do it, just before the eviction.

We get some every year but not as bad as this, they have gone berserk. It
also cannot have been small kids but youths as one of the pumpkins that had
been thrown over the gate into the road was an Atlantic Giant probably
weighing about 60lbs.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"Janet Baraclough" wrote

Just come back from the allotments, we have to quit by the end of this
month
so went down to gather up some of the pumpkins etc.
Shouldn't have bothered, the vandals have beaten us to it (snip)

I am sorry, Bob.
The turks caps might be offered to some local florist or market; it
might be worth distributing a flyer to them asking them to keep an ear
and eye open.

I've mentioned it to some that know what a Turks Turban is so there are eyes
looking for us.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

On 21/9/05 21:58, in article , "Janet
Baraclough" wrote:

The message
from "shazzbat" contains these words:

A crime is a crime, even when it's a pumpkin.

Wasn't that an election slogan?. " Tony Blair; Tough on pumpkins, and
tough on the causes of pumpkins".

Janet


Once upon a time.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

In article , Sacha
writes
On 21/9/05 21:58, in article , "Janet
Baraclough" wrote:

The message
from "shazzbat" contains these words:

A crime is a crime, even when it's a pumpkin.

Wasn't that an election slogan?. " Tony Blair; Tough on pumpkins, and
tough on the causes of pumpkins".

Janet


Once upon a time.

Following on from that...
If the police don't consider it to be of sufficient value to be
considered a crime, tell them that they weren't just any old pumpkins -
they were just about to turn into coaches and horses.

--
regards andyw

"Bob Hobden" wrote
Just come back from the allotments, we have to quit by the end of this
month so went down to gather up some of the pumpkins etc.
Shouldn't have bothered, the vandals have beaten us to it and any they
couldn't lift and drop to smash or throw around and break have had
canes/bits of wood rammed through them. (snip)

Well yesterday evening they must have come back, more cabbages thrown about,
all the tomatoes pulled off and thrown around as were the cucumbers. The
plants in the carrot bin had also been stamped on and ground into the dirt.
One of the big previously staked pumpkins was pushed over the gate into the
road and smashed. Certainly not little kids then.
We are now glad we are getting off this site and have already made enquiries
about a plot on a site in a much nicer area, who cares if it's a much longer
journey if they don't get such damage.
--
Regards
Bob

In article , Sacha
writes

Once upon a time.


Without the happily ever after.................
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

I am sorry to read of the destruction and can feel the frustration when you
feel unable to do anything about it.
The police should list it as a crime. If value is made an issue a minimum
value for a well tended allottment should be a man year at the minimum
wage-1800hrs at c£4/hr around £7500.
The clubbing/pubbing culture leads to a lot of drug consumption (starting
with alcohol) and cruel irrational behaviour. It is not much consolation but
a number of the perpetrators end up harming or killing themselves and
associates-look into a casualty department on a Saturday evening.
Regards and Commiserations
David T
The "Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Bob Hobden" wrote
Just come back from the allotments, we have to quit by the end of this
month so went down to gather up some of the pumpkins etc.
Shouldn't have bothered, the vandals have beaten us to it and any they
couldn't lift and drop to smash or throw around and break have had
canes/bits of wood rammed through them. (snip)

Well yesterday evening they must have come back, more cabbages thrown
about, all the tomatoes pulled off and thrown around as were the
cucumbers. The plants in the carrot bin had also been stamped on and
ground into the dirt. One of the big previously staked pumpkins was pushed
over the gate into the road and smashed. Certainly not little kids then.
We are now glad we are getting off this site and have already made
enquiries about a plot on a site in a much nicer area, who cares if it's a
much longer journey if they don't get such damage.
--
Regards
Bob