THE mystery surrounding the disappearance of a number of ornaments from gardens in Kingsteignton in October and November last year, has finally been unravelled.
During the execution of a surprise police warrant at a house in Highweek Street, Newton Abbot last Friday, officers found more than 20 pieces of garden furniture, ornaments and road signs.
The search was carried out by officers from Newton Abbot after a woman saw her stolen stone badger on the windowsill of the property.
The rented property was occupied by four Seale-Hayne students who had only recently moved into the four-bedroom, end-terrace property and who claimed not to know that their avant-garde decor – including a 3ft bird-bath, pub menu blackboard, numerous gnomes and the badger – was dubiously sourced.
Police have contacted the landlord and are now in the process of tracing the previous tenants.
Much of the property is still waiting to be claimed, but the badger – known as Billy – will soon be back with his relieved owners.
'When we were filling out the details of this crime last year the owners made sure we took his name down,' said Pc Dave Salsbury, one of the officers involved in the search. 'Apparently he's been in the family for 25 years!
'We had a bit of a Cinderella moment when we found him, because his tail had snapped off before he was taken. His owners gave that to us and it fitted him perfectly so we knew it was him – how about that for intelligence work!'
If you recognise any old faces from the picture, contact Newton Abbot police station through the switchboard on 08705 777444 and quote log 1135 of January 22.