MT EDEN GNOME MISSING SINCE TUESDAY — NEIGHBOURLY THREAD NOW 84 COMMENTS AND ZERO LEADS
Police have not ruled out that the gnome walked off. At this stage they've ruled out nothing.
A garden gnome answering to the name 'Reginald' has been missing from a Valley Road front yard since 0700 hours Tuesday. The Neighbourly thread has generated eighty-four comments and produced no usable information.
Owner Philippa Goff-Marsden, 58, said Reginald had stood by her letterbox for eleven years without incident. "He was there when I made my coffee. Gone when I got back from yoga. Someone has taken a piece of this household, and Neighbourly reckons it was a possum."
This reporter has read the thread in full, against his better judgement. Theories include: a possum (three posters), a magpie (anatomically impossible, IMO), "those e-scooter kids" (no evidence), a woman called Denise who moved to Pt Chev in 2019, and one comment that reads "check the bushes mate".
A woman with a nose ring, who declined to give her name, said she'd seen "a bloke with a tote bag" near the property on Tuesday morning. Pressed for a description, she said he looked "sort of normal". This has been logged but is, frankly, useless.
My mate at the station confirms no formal complaint has been filed. Gnome theft does not meet the threshold for a CIB referral. He did suggest, off the record, that Philippa try the neighbour at number 14, who has "a bit of a collection".
Reginald remains at large. The thread is up to ninety-one comments and someone has started arguing about the speed limit on Mt Eden Road.
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Reader Letters
Garry (Halswell)
Back in my day, we used to chain things up, not to protect from thieves but from weather! Weather's unpredictable, unlike these gnome lifters.
MumOf3_Epsom
I feel for Philippa. When my son's tricycle went missing, the Neighbourly thread turned into a debate about street lighting!
Bert_Sandringham
I'm not saying it was aliens, but let's face it, people, stranger things have happened! Just ask the folks in Roswell.
Margaret_F
@Bert_Sandringham Roswell? We're in NZ, love. I think the real mystery is why the council doesn't do anything about those e-scooter kids!
BarryBishopdale
It's clearly the magpies. They're more intelligent than we give them credit for. Seen my glittery keychain disappear right in front of me last year!
TrevMtEden
Lol, Denise would never swipe Reginald. She was more into those cat statues. I helped her move, trust me.
niece_from_hernebay
A bloke with a tote bag sounds like half the people walking around Mt Eden! Check the gnome at number 14, might be hidden in plain sight!
couchgremlin
Gnome's gone walkabout. Bet he's chilling with the garden fairies.