Not again!
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For Joan’s Army stalwart Robin Bohringer, finding the planter boxes in the main street of Macksville had been pushed over on Saturday night was no surprise.
“It’s not the first time it’s happened – it’s a long-standing problem,” Robin said.
“When I came down to water Joe Welch (newsagent) and some other residents had already righted the boxes but all the plants had been dislodged.
“I did my best to rearrange them – it’s such a shame, they were all growing beautifully.”
Joan’s Army is a group of volunteers who have been caring for the gardens around the town’s CBD as well as in other areas, such as Woolworths, for many years.
Due to age and injury their numbers have been vastly depleted over recent years and Robin said it was getting ever harder to keep up the momentum.
“I remember when Woolies first arrived and we planted around the carpark – someone pulled out everything we planted.
“In all honesty, we are a bit over the main street.
“What is the point of beautifying the place if people have no pride.
“The pots have probably come to the end … I think the council need to think about taking them away.”
Either that or install cement boxes as she has seen in Wauchope and Bellingen.
Detective Inspector Guy Flaherty, Nambucca Valley Local Area Command, said thanks to CCTV footage from local businesses, the police did have a suspect but were still appealing for witnesses.
“It appears this man, aged between 20-25 years in a black shirt, jeans and a black cap, was intoxicated … he walked up Wallace St at 9.45pm on Saturday night and pushed over six planter boxes,” Insp Flaherty said.
“The property damage is about $500 … really senseless. We believe we know who is it and investigations are continuing.”