Thieves violate trust in community
To the citizens of Columbia Falls: Lock down anything you may have outdoors or even in your autos.
For several years, I have created a bower of flowers in my front yard so that everyone and anyone coming down Second Avenue West can enjoy the beauty. I have worked diligently to keep this display going to share with those who enjoy the bloom.
The project isn’t cheap, but this year some hooligan or two think that they have the right to steal my menagerie of Talavera that many little children have delighted in seeing. (Talavera is a style/brand of pottery, each hand-glazed and decorated by artisans and very unique as each is an original work of art.)
The first hit was the Thursday night the swim meet was congregating, and various caravans were parked between Ninth and 10th on Second Avenue West. That night my elephant, which was planted with lovely annuals, and my turtle, which was a cute table art piece, were stolen. I figured it was probably some out-of-towner who loaded them into their caravan and took them home.
Next hit: The following Friday night, I left the window down one inch to let the heat out of my car. They broke in and stole my leather wallet out of glove box, which held my car papers, with the initials “bfp” on it, along with my Canon digital camera (red/ imp), my little coin purse that had $10 to $12 dollars in it and my mileage log. My neighbor found my coin purse and mileage log thrown down on the corner of First Avenue and Eighth Street West. Cash gone of course. The car was locked, but that didn’t slow them down.
Third hit: Back to my Talavera. I had moved my patio around due to high wind warnings and tucked my Talavera safely under the crib and in front of it with my little tables tucked in tight in front of those. The thieves had to come up on my front door step to get to them.
This time they stole my giraffe, which was a gift from my employer at my retirement, my iguana and frog (to cart off the giraffe, a vehicle was probably involved). I feel totally violated. My menagerie has been poached.
What is the worst of it is that now I don’t know if I will trust my community enough to share the beauty in the future. A thief or two or three among us is terrible. If the thieving is done by your kids, please return my items, but remember your gnome, or your boot scraper or even your bird bath might be stolen in the future. Isn’t that sad? I didn’t realize that we lived in the ghetto and need to lock up everything.
One half block from the police department and this is our level of safety. If this is kids, their priority is really off kilter. Through the years, I have given much time to help our community, from judging debates, Lions club past president, Eagle’s Auxiliary past director, and raising the funds for our Christmas lights so the community could have new lights. Plus much more, now I am robbed. Shame on the few that destroy the trust this community deserves.
If any one has any information on these thefts, either contact me or the Columbia Falls Police Department. Please help in returning our community to the warm outreaching town we have always been.
Barb Proctor lives in Columbia Falls.