Post by Poundbury on Jul 5, 2005 12:11:46 GMT 1
Dorset Echo
First published on Monday 04 July 2005:
Thieves snatch disabled man's treasured tree
by Matt Pitman
THIEVES have left a keen gardener heartbroken by stealing a much-loved plant from his garden.
Richard Jeneway says he is upset and angry after culprits made off with a bonsai tree - grown in earth containing the ashes of his dead dog - from his Poundbury home.
Mr Jeneway, 51, who is partially sighted, has spent more than 12 years cultivating the tree worth up to £100.
And the blow has been made worse as the tree was grown in the ashes of his beloved pet Bennie, ten, who died six years ago.
The victim fears he may have been targeted by thieves eager to get their hands on his much-loved tree which stood in the front garden of his Middlemarsh Street home. Mr Jeneway said: "Gardening is my main hobby and I've got a lot of joy growing and looking after the bonsai tree over the years.
"But to wake up one morning to be told by a neighbour that it has gone is annoying and upsetting.
"The tree is irreplaceable because of the sentimental value and I just hope the person who did it feels guilty.
"If it was simply someone taking some of the flowers in a drunken manner, I wouldn't feel too bad.
"But this seems like I've been targeted because the tree is so heavy, it would have taken two people to lift it into a wheelbarrow." Mr Jeneway added: "Lots of people in the past have pointed the tree out and stopped to look at it. Because of its size and value, I wonder whether whoever has taken it has done so for financial reasons."
The theft is the latest in a number of theft and vandalism incidents in Poundbury over recent weeks.
And Mr Jeneway fears Prince Charles' development is suffering because of an image problem.
"I worry people target Poundbury because the place has a bit of a reputation," he said.
"But it is important that people realise not everyone who lives here is rich - I'm certainly not.
"People may wonder that if my tree meant so much to me, why didn't I chain it up to prevent it being taken. But it shouldn't have to come to that."
First published on Monday 04 July 2005:
Thieves snatch disabled man's treasured tree
by Matt Pitman
THIEVES have left a keen gardener heartbroken by stealing a much-loved plant from his garden.
Richard Jeneway says he is upset and angry after culprits made off with a bonsai tree - grown in earth containing the ashes of his dead dog - from his Poundbury home.
Mr Jeneway, 51, who is partially sighted, has spent more than 12 years cultivating the tree worth up to £100.
And the blow has been made worse as the tree was grown in the ashes of his beloved pet Bennie, ten, who died six years ago.
The victim fears he may have been targeted by thieves eager to get their hands on his much-loved tree which stood in the front garden of his Middlemarsh Street home. Mr Jeneway said: "Gardening is my main hobby and I've got a lot of joy growing and looking after the bonsai tree over the years.
"But to wake up one morning to be told by a neighbour that it has gone is annoying and upsetting.
"The tree is irreplaceable because of the sentimental value and I just hope the person who did it feels guilty.
"If it was simply someone taking some of the flowers in a drunken manner, I wouldn't feel too bad.
"But this seems like I've been targeted because the tree is so heavy, it would have taken two people to lift it into a wheelbarrow." Mr Jeneway added: "Lots of people in the past have pointed the tree out and stopped to look at it. Because of its size and value, I wonder whether whoever has taken it has done so for financial reasons."
The theft is the latest in a number of theft and vandalism incidents in Poundbury over recent weeks.
And Mr Jeneway fears Prince Charles' development is suffering because of an image problem.
"I worry people target Poundbury because the place has a bit of a reputation," he said.
"But it is important that people realise not everyone who lives here is rich - I'm certainly not.
"People may wonder that if my tree meant so much to me, why didn't I chain it up to prevent it being taken. But it shouldn't have to come to that."
