ALLOTMENT holders in Gainford have spoken of their anger and frustration following a spate of thefts.
Thieves have targeted a handful of the 50 plots at the site, off Main Road near the former St Peter’s School. Items taken include hens, hammers, knives and greenhouse doors.
Gardener Brian Boucher says he had his plot broken into. Although no damage was caused, tools were taken from his shed sometime between the evening of Thursday, October 18, and 8am on Saturday, October 20.
Mr Boucher, who lives in Stainton Grove, was left without a number of hammers, including a sledgehammer, a spirit level, a tape measure, weedkiller, a ball of string, a pot of rusty screws and two knives.
He said: “I was at the allotment on the Thursday night and I wasn’t back till the Saturday at about 8am so it has happened sometime between then. I knew someone had been in the shed when I got here.
“They haven’t caused any damage but it is an inconvenience. When I got here, I then had to go back home to get more tools.
“It makes you feel angry. This is the first time this has happened to me and I’ve been here since last November. I spend most weekends working down here. It is nothing of great value and that is why I can’t understand it.”
Marion Parker, who lives in the village, manages one of the plots and was disappointed to discover that her greenhouse door had been stolen earlier in the month.
She said: “People are just coming down and taking what they want. It is out of the way so they are coming down late at night.”
That same night, Ms Parker said another three greenhouse doors were taken from different plots.
She added: “We are not quite sure what they are going to do with greenhouse doors.”
There have also been reports of hens being stolen from coops.
Chairwoman of Gainford Allotment Association Jill Tolley hopes something will be done to improve security at the site.
She said: “I think most people might have had something taken but it will be things that you don’t realise are missing.
“We would like to do something about it but there is nothing we can do until we get the land. We will have to see what happens with the houses at St Peter’s.
“We have got empty plots but while this is going on no one is going to take one on.”
Mr Boucher added: “The best thing we could do here is to put an eight to ten foot iron fence all the way round the site.
“It would be a massive deterrent.”
