WHY??!!

[Malk]

Morning all, I'm a bit miserable and thought you all would understand better than most.

My allotment shed was burned down last night - because I had a bale of straw in front of it!! I can't believe it. About 20 plots were broken into but mine was the only one really damaged. I got the straw recently for my strawberries and potatoes and had some left over for the boys to make a scarecrow with.

Now all my tools are gone. Luckily my greenhouse only suffered one shattered window, so I haven't lost any plants except what the Fire Department stomped on.

I know in the scope of things it's not a big deal (my uncle sucumbed to cancer the night before) but I just don't understand. What fun could they have gotten out of it? They couldn't even stay to watch the fire because the FD was called pretty quick after smoke was spotted. It was just the thought of inflicting pain on others, for kicks.

So I will spend most of the summer cleaning up and figuring out how to build a new shed and replace my tools and other bits and bobs (including my fave 15 year old boots) with no spare cash. I know folks on the plots will help, but it's a shame we have to go through this.

Hope you're all having a better morning.

[Stephen]

Malk
My sympathy, in both cases.
This petty vandalism is so very annoying and I am sorry but I fail to understand it too. I suspect that the boys (almost certainly boys in their teens) don't really understand their actions either.
We, here in Berkhamsted, suffer a little, but only a little. Most of the sheds were broken open one night but nothing was taken. One neighbour had her seating smashed up and some crops trampled; she was so discouraged that she gave up (a real shame). Regretablly it is not merely youth but the influence of alcohol and the desperate desire of boys to show off, in my opinion.

As for inflicting pain, I know where I would want to inflict the pain in these circumstances!

[Malk]

Thanks, we're pretty sure this time it wasn't young boys. They break in often and don't do much other than minor damage. But recently we've had things stolen that would be worth something, tools, generators, stoves, ect, not that I had anything. They've been systematic about going into the sheds. They got in with bolt cutters last night. Someone chased these young guys off at 8pm last night, but they must have come back as my shed and another batch of plots were broken into between then and 10pm.

I think the bale of straw was just too tempting when they saw there wasn't anything of value or worth breaking.

[Compo]

We suffer at our sea cadet unit with mindless vandalism, and yes we ask the same question....Why. If they take some produced and tools for re-sale although it is not right, we can understand it from a basic thief's point of view. but this mindless vandalism that in this instance could have harmed persons does not make any sense.

I want to come around straight away with some old pallets and start building you a new shed and helping to clear up, but your a bit far away Malk so am sending you a box of moral support instead. Do you need anything desperately that one of us might have surplus to send on?

CoMpO

[glallotments]

I am so sorry that you have been a victim to the mindless idiots who seem to find this sort of thing to be fun.

We have some on our site who don't see the sense in locking gates but it seems incredible that these seem to be the people who don't suffer break-ins etc.

We have only just got our shed after XXXX years of having an allotment for the very reason that they seem so vulnerable but we have succumbed this year and it has been a good asset as somewhere to sit and have a coffee whilst it is raining or too cold to sit outside.

Stoves do seem to be a real target on our site - no doubt they end up at car boot sales. It's annoying as most things stolen aren't exactly expensive to buy new. We don't leave anything in our shed other than consumables and netting etc. Everything travels with us but we are a bit too far from our plot to walk there and we also need most things in our garden too so that isn't too big a problem, other than time spent loading the car! I dare say that won't put off someone eventually trying to break in though if only for the fun of it!!!

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Malk, firstly so very sorry to read about your Uncle.
Also sorry about your shed and tools, it must be so upsetting combined with your Uncles death.
I know it doesn't replace anything, but you are in my thoughts, and i'm sure you are in everyone on the forums thoughts as well.

[macmac]

Ditto to everyones comments.So sorry Malk

[Bren]

Malk sorry to read of your shed burned also all the contents, I know we usually blame youngsters but they are not always to blame, in 1990 we were on a council allotment and had our shed burned but didn't loose everything, some plants dug up, we weren't the only ones to be done,who was to blame? we knew it was the bloke who was in charge of that allotment but couldn't prove it we left and got a plot on a private site, the next year he was banned from all B'ham allotments.
We still go down to that allotment for seeds and other things we need as they are cheaper then the private site shop.
Sorry to hear of your uncle's death hope he had a peaceful end.
Bren

[Parsons Jack]

So sorry to hear of your misfortune Malk

There is far too much mindless vandalism these days. Just down the coast from me, somebody had their fishing boat and all it's contents set on fire a couple of weeks ago. They're looking for some boys about 10-12 years old.

[Malk]

Thanks all, just wanted to rant. Went out today in the harsh sunlight and it was depressing. I'm going to find it very difficult to go up there for a while, but I'm a work horse and after standing there and just looking at it for about 15 minutes, I hauled a barrel of burnt wood out and made a pile of things for the tip in the centre.

Luckily my plants weren't touched so I still have a chance of a good harvest.

Glallotments, I never locked the shed as I didn't keep anything in it. Last month they broke my gate lock, went in, but couldn't find anything to steal, so left things alone.

Thanks Herbie and others for the kind thoughts about my Uncle. My family are in the States and I hate being away from them when things like this happens, but the shed problem has been a bit of distraction. Now I will just focus on getting things tidied for my family visiting in July.

[donedigging]

Dear Malk,

I am really sorry to hear what has happened,not only with your Uncle but also with your shed, my thoughts are will you and your family

[Primrose]

So sorry to hear about your uncle and your shed. If only these little yobs could be made to understand just how much effort goes into maintaining an allotment. Perhaps we need a new sadistic form of Community Sentencing where as a punishment, these vandals are forced to dig and maintain an allotment for a year with a minimum target of food to produced, otherwise their sentence is doubled. And then, just before harvesting, everybody completely vandalises all their efforts. Maybe then they would understand the impact their behaviour has. We were forced to give up two previous allotments because on both occasions all our efforts, along with other plotholders, were vandalised. Do you have Freecycle in your area? It's just possible that somebody may have one they want to dispose of, or some other storage facility that could tide you over.

[retropants]

Dear Malk,
I'm so very sorry to hear of your personal loss, and the damage to your plot. WHat a bunch of ---------- unrepeatable I'm afraid! We have recently also had a spree of thefts, which appear to be organised and require a van, so it's not kids. Things stolen from us so far - 15 yr old wheelbarrow as good as the day I bought it, and 30 paving slabs waiting to be laid in a path. Also neighbours have lost cast iron garden furniture, water butts and assorted large items. We have a padlock on both the gates, so it has to be a plot holder. It makes me so very angry.
I hope you can get another shed sorted soon, keep an eye on freecycle.

Best wishes to you and your family at this sad time.

[alan refail]

Dear Malk

May I add my sympathies to other people's.

Alan

[Elaine]

Dear Malk. Heartfelt sympathy for your bereavement and ditto to all the sentiments expressed regarding your shed and belongings. Mindless vandalism really does make me seeth. I hope you can soon come to terms with both causes of your sorrow. Take care. Elaine.