The staff of Palmers Garden Centre in Bethlehem have been left absolutely flabbergasted after thieves stole a one metre tall gorilla statue in broad daylight recently.
They're hoping someone has information which will help reunite them with the $2000 garden statue which was stolen from the centre's carpark at about 5pm on Friday, September 9.
Bethlehem's Palmers Garden Centre are appealing to the community for help after thieves stole a 1m tall gorilla garden statue, similar to the one pictured, from the centre's carpark at about 5pm on Friday, September 9. Supplied Photo.
'It was peak hour traffic in Bethlehem so someone may have seen it being removed and loaded into a van which had been parked next to the container,” says Palmers Bethlehem's Jenny Harvey.
'A green and white van, possibly a Toyota Hiace, was parked next to the container at the time with a couple of guys in and around it. A staff member managed to get a glimpse of its number plate but we didn't actually see them removing the gorilla.”
The centre has since filed a report with police.
Jenny says they know the gorilla was still there at 4.50pm as a member of the public, who's made contact with the centre since Friday's theft, recalled seeing it as they drove past. But when the staff went to bring the gorilla inside for the day at 5.10pm, the gorilla was gone and so was the van.
The gorilla, which measures 1m tall, is made of a resin material and had been sitting on top of the container daily for about a year.
Jenny says Palmers are the sole importers of these gorilla statues, which are produced by UK company Vivid Arts, and have sold about eight of them so far – so there are very few in the country.
'Hopefully a bit of publicity will help find him, we are quite disappointed someone has pinched him.
'He was very visible to the main highway in Bethlehem and the traffic was very heavy at the roundabout at the time.”
If you have any information about the one metre tall gorilla which was stolen from the Palmers Garden Centre in Bethlem at about 5pm on Friday, September 9, contact your local police station or the centre on 07-579-3925
4 comments
Check out the zoo in Ohio
Posted on 11-09-2016 14:07 | By TheCameltoeKid
Probably a safe bet the ape was stolen to replace the Silverback the triggerhappy wankers shot dead. Just a thought.
OMG Return it immediately
Posted on 11-09-2016 14:29 | By ROCCO
This local body member should be returned immediately as it's absenceis jeapodising the City's due administration -either that or replace it with a real EM no one will pick the difference probably.!!!
Deja Vu
Posted on 11-09-2016 15:22 | By Rinkles
If my memory serves me correctly - last years AIMS Games saw the removal of the statues from the Pizza Library. May be mistaken but either way they were lucky enough o get them back. Hopefully this will return as well !!
Ape Escape
Posted on 11-09-2016 23:36 | By Captain Hottie
"We've got a gorilla for saleMagilla Gorilla for sale. Dont you want a little gorilla you can call your own,A gorilla wholl be with ya when youre all alone?" Someone obviously took the song seriously...
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