Online campaign to replace stolen Tidy Town's equipment

An online campaign has been started to replace the landscaping equipment belonging to the Belturbet Tidy Towns group that was stolen during a recent burglary.

There has been widespread disgust after an Ariens tractor mower and Honda self-drive push mower, worth almost €6,000 were taken following a break-in at a storage unit at the old Railway Station on Sunday, October 9.

The local committee, which runs a charity shop at the Railway Station each month and hosts regular fundraising events, now face an uphill battle in paying for the replacement of the stolen equipment.
But locals are beginning to rally, with former resident Pamela Murphy leading the charge, starting a JustGiving.com page in a bid to back their cause.

She writes: “I was so upset to hear that someone has stolen Tidy Towns Gardening Equipment from our lovely town as I'm sure you all were. Belturbet had seemed to have changed so much since I was a little girl but I know the community spirit is still there and these horrible thieves won't get us down.
“I've set up this page as I felt like I really needed to do something, anything. I may be living away from Ireland but Belturbet is still my home. So if you can spare a euro or two to help put towards replacing this equipment that would be brilliant. No cent or penny is too small,” says Pamela.

The aim to raise £2,000 has already received support, and is expected to run for a number of weeks.

Buoyed by the comments by 2016 National Tidy Towns Competition judges, who praised the local group's work towards “social inclusion”, Belturbet Tidy Town's member Barry Wilson told The Anglo-Celt what hurts most about the theft is it was done using “local information”.

“Stealing from a charity, what kind of person does that? There is a real sense of disappointment now. The Tidy Towns committee is all volunteer work, we give of our time freely to give something back to the community. We take pride in the town and how it looks and for some scumbag to come along and do what they’ve done, I mean, words don’t describe how low an act that is!”

However, Mr Wilson is hopeful there may yet be some shred of human dignity buried within the culprits, enough at least to see the expensive tools returned safely.
“We hold out hope, however slim it may be, that we’ll get it back. Whoever did it will find it very difficult to sell these on. We are dedicated to the town. This won’t stop us in our tracks. We would be hopeful, and let it be known, that we would encourage the return of the equipment to a safe location and let that be the end of it.”
we would encourage the return of the equipment to a safe location and let that be the end of it

Gardaí are already aware that a white van, seen acting suspiciously in the vicinity of the Church of the Immaculate of Conception, may have been used by the perpetrators. They are asking for anyone with information to contact local gardaí in Ballyconnell on 0499525580.