Burglars stole our swing.

by Toby Empson

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I could not believe it, they stole our swing. The swing was not your average porch swing. This was a patio swing with a frame and canopy, all wood including the seating. It could seat three, well three slim young ones. A bit of a luxury item for us folks, an indulgence, but my wife adored this swing, I must say that I found it very relaxing too.

Whenever my wife was out back I would find her sat in our swing gently swaying back and forwards, sometimes just sitting, sometimes reading, sometimes dozing on a balmy day.

We just do not understand how they managed to steal it without anyone seeing or hearing a thing. The four pillars were set into the patio, they hacked through them close to the patio deck. That must have taken time and noise whatever they used to do the job. There must have been at least four of them to pick it up and carry it to their what? Large pick up or van? Nobody saw? Nobody knew what was going on?

It was a Tuesday daytime so many of our neighbors were out, those who were at home did not know anything about it until we told them and asked if they had seen anything. Nobody did.

Not the end of the world, it was only garden furniture after all. I sooner they take that than burglarize the house, I could not stand that.

What would our swing be worth to the thieves? With the posts sawed short it is going to be difficult to set in the ground, the seat will be too low.

Now that spring is almost here we will get a replacement. It’ll be the best part of $600 and we’ll have to find somebody to install it for us.

I know for sure that I’m going to be continually worrying that the replacement swing will stolen too. That would be worrying about lightening striking twice but how could we prevent that. A swing and canopy set into the patio should be un-stealable, but it wasn’t.