Bungling thieves wrestled with three, heavy stone garden ornaments, but promptly ditched them when they realised their haul wouldn't fit through a hedge.

The two teenagers went into the Wyevale garden centre in Eastwood Road, Rayleigh, picked up the items, including a crocodile and a some ducks, and lumbered towards a hedge.

Picking up the pieces - Ray Campbell with the remains of the ornaments Picture: ROB BROWNE

However, their planned theft was foiled as they couldn't get the goods through the hole in the hedge, which they hoped would provide an escape route.

So instead they dropped the three concrete ornaments, squeezed through the hedge and sprinted away.

Centre manager Ray Campbell said: "A couple of lads about 17-years-old came in and grabbed the animals.

"Basically they couldn't get them through the hedge and if they had chucked them over it they would have broke.

"So they had no choice but to drop them and go. Unfortunately for us all the pieces, costing around £50 each, were broken after they dropped them anyway."

At the moment police only have brief descriptions of the thieves - one is described as Afro-Caribbean, the other is white, 5ft 11in tall and wore a thin cream jacket and cream trousers.

The attempted theft happened around 2pm last Thursday and anyone who can help police with their investigation should call on 01268 775533.

Published Monday, April 14, 2003

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