Spoonville Mt Martha: Vandals trample village, steal home made sign
“Low life scum” have trashed a community art project designed to lift spirits during lockdown. But it looks like the vandals underestimated community commitment to the morale boosting cutlery.
South East
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The hunt is on for the “low life scum” who trashed a Mt Martha Spoonville and stole a sign lovingly created by a local schoolteacher.
Devastated families were shocked to see their much loved community art project trashed on Monday, just one day after Cameron Sweatman donated a sign he made for the initiative.
The dad, who teaches at Mount Martha Primary School, visited the growing village of spoons on Saturday to erect the hand-carved sign which featured two giant spoons.
It was stolen overnight on Sunday – Fathers Day – and the population of 83 spoons decorated by nearby children was flattened.
Shalee Cameron, who started the village on her nature strip in July, said the cruel act was even harder to bear because it followed the disappointing State Government announcement that the hard lockdown would continue for an extra two weeks.
“I couldn’t believe anyone would do that,” she said.
“It obviously happened after curfew because my hubby was outside near the Spoonville just before 8pm on the Sunday and everything was fine.”
Ms Cameron urged the culprit to come forward.
“I can only ask you to reconsider what you’ve done to this community asset and return (the sign),” she said.
Other neighbours had harsher words for the vandal.
“What sort of mongrel does this?”, Allison Jackson said.
“The kids were so excited, we’d planned to ride there this afternoon to see the new big spoons.
“Shame on whichever low-life scum did this and broke the hearts of many little kids who have such little to look forward to right now.”
Ms Cameron said within 24 hours of the heartless theft another community member had volunteered to make a replacement sign.
“Another gentleman saw my message about what happened on social media and got in touch straight away. That did restore my faith. But I think I’ll have to take this one inside at night,” she said.
Ms Cameron urged anyone with information about the missing sign to message her via the Spoonville Mount Martha Facebook page.
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