By Emily-Rose Toohey
On Sunday night, a Granite Belt resident knocked over and damaged pot plants located in front of Gracious Giving and Brinx Deli and Café.
Of the five potted plants, two were completely knocked over, one was ripped from its pot, and two remained untouched.
Gracious Giving owner Debbie-Ann Wilmot is part of a group responsible for maintaining and caring for the greenery.
Debbie said she received a text message at 8.30pm on Sunday night, alerting her of the incident.
“I was disappointed and upset, they’re my babies and I spend time watering, fertilising, and trimming them,” Debbie said.
Brinx Deli and Café owner Kristy O’Brien said the incident was disheartening.
“It’s upsetting, they’re there to make people feel good, why would someone do that?” Kristy said.
After learning of the incident via social media on Sunday night, she checked her security cameras.
The footage caught two individuals – one committing the act and another watching it unfold.
“If you’re a bystander, that’s just as bad as committing the crime,” Kristy said.
The damage also caused her money loss as she personally paid for the pot plants outside both shops – the ones that happened to be vandalised.
However, the offender has confessed to the act and offered to pay for the replacement pots and plants.
Debbie said the culprit was very apologetic and disappointed with himself.
“It was just an act of stupidity,” Debbie said.
*The following is further information received after the newspaper went to print:*
Stanthorpe Police Officer-in-Charge Gerard Brady said the 19-year-old male who committed the crime was charged with wilful damage and public nuisance.
He has been banned from licenced premises Stanthorpe-wide for three months.
