ROSLYN MAILBOX TAGGED OVERNIGHT, POLICE BLAME 'YOUTHS' AND ONE POSSUM
The possum has not been named but is described as 'a known offender' by two neighbours.
A mailbox on a quiet stretch of Roslyn has been graffitied overnight. Police are calling it a joint operation between 'youths' and one possum. The possum is named in the incident report. The youths are not.
The mailbox belongs to Lorraine Beadle, 71. On Wednesday morning she found a black squiggle on the lid. It may or may not be a word. "Could say 'Zane'. Could say 'Zone'. Could say nothing. Either way it's on my mailbox and I want it off."
Lorraine said she'd heard a racket around 2am but assumed it was the wind. In Palmerston North it usually is. "Then I saw the scratches on the lid. That's not a youth. Youths don't have claws. Mostly."
A neighbour two doors down, Pauline Whetu, confirmed the possum was a regular. "He lives in the macrocarpa behind the Williamsons'. Cheeky knob. I've seen him on the wheelie bin, on the roof, and now he's an accessory."
A police spokesperson said enquiries were ongoing. The human element was "unlikely to be identified". The possum element was "outside our jurisdiction, technically".
Lorraine has cleaned the mailbox with turps. The squiggle is fainter but still legible. The possum was seen on her fence at dusk.
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Reader Letters
Garry (Halswell)
Back in my day, taggers used to sign their own names and face the consequences. Now it's all tricks and possum-malarkey.
tired_in_palmy
Of all things, a possum vandalised a mailbox? Ridiculous, but still more action than our posties these days!
BarryBishopdale
EVERY TIME there's an issue, they say it's the 'youths'. Can't believe they now throw in a possum too. Convenient!
reply_guy_dave
Mate, they said the possum is part of it. It's a joke. Not an excuse. Chill out!
couchgremlin
Lol
wayward_jo
Actually, squirrels do far more property damage and no one ever mentions them, probably cos we don't have any here!
MumOf3
Policing possums now, are we? What's next, arresting seagulls for stealing chips at the beach?