Stolen last weekend, the benches reappear, hanging from a fence
As Christmas miracles go, this is a minor one, but still a reason to be thankful.
Two of Pelham’s Pride benches, stolen the weekend of December 11-12, have been found.
The rainbow-themed benches had been approved by Pelham Town Council in April and installed in June at Peace Park and near the Meridian Community Centre.
Ryan Cook, Pelham’s Manager of Public Works, told the Voice that the two pilfered benches were recovered, undamaged, near the storm water management pond at Rice Road and Highway 20.
“These are very heavy benches, that were secured with lag bolts,” said Cook. “Definitely a multiple-person job. Whoever took them came prepared with tools and a big vehicle.”
Cook said that the Town may consider relocating the benches, but for now will reinstall them at their previous sites.
Mayor Marvin Junkin expressed relief that the benches were located, but had no explanation as to who would remove them, or their motivation. No note was attached to the benches when they were retrieved, but it would appear clear enough that the act was meant as an affront to members of the LGTBQ2S+ community.
“I guess whoever stole the benches had second thoughts, maybe guilty consciences,” said Junkin.
Pelham CAO David Cribbs expressed the same thought, adding that perhaps the perpetrators realized that selling such readily identifiable objects would have been next to impossible without the thieves being identified.
