Heartbroken residents of an Ipswich sheltered housing scheme are calling for thieves who stole a water fountain that was erected in memory of their “happy go lucky” friend to return it.
After 72-year-old resident Maggie Skilling died suddenly from a heart attack earlier this year, a group of ladies at All Hallows Court launched a collection to buy the feature for the communal patio garden that Mrs Skilling enjoyed so much.
But the official unveiling of the statue that was to be attended by Mrs Skilling’s family had to be cancelled when robbers stole the feature in a night raid between June 2 and June 3.
Then, the culprits returned a week later to steal another water feature and some lights from a tenant’s garden.
To add insult to injury, they struck a third time and made off with a garden bench from a neighbouring home.
Residents and employees at All Hallows described Mrs Skilling as “cheeky”, “bubbly” and sorely missed.
Margaret Ratcliffe, 71, who has been at the scheme for eight years, said: “She was happy go lucky, everyone loved her and someone still mentions her name at least once a day. When everyone found out what happened they were all really miserable that day, we couldn’t believe it.”
The water fountain, which cost £100, was grey and featured a boy and a girl sat underneath an umbrella.
Anyone with information can call police own 101 with crime number 37/36617/16.
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