There was a pleasant Christmas surprise at the Grown and Gathered Market in Pappinbarra – the police returned half the property stolen by thieves earlier this week.
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Pappinbarra Progress Association president, Mary Walker said the close-knit community had been devastated by the theft of almost $10,000-worth of property earlier this week.
Thieves had broken into the shed and hall and stolen firefighting equipment donated after the fierce bushfires in February 2017, as well as cooking utensils and food from the freezer, plus mowers and paint.
But late on Saturday night, just before the monthly Grown and Gathered Market, police arrived at Mary’s house with half of the stolen goods.
“It had been painted to disguise it. I was ecstatic. I couldn’t believe the stuff that came out of the police cars,” she said.
"We got the whippersnipper and blower back and some of the firefighting equipment. We have had so much publicity, it’s been fantastic.
“We have had help from Red Shed Hire, the Dulux paint rep in Wauchope offered to replace our paint, someone called Verna offered us an urn and a large cooking pot. We are so grateful.”