A BRADFORD resident has spoken out following the theft of gnomes and animal ornaments from her garden in Thornton.

It follows a spate of similar thefts from gardens in the Wibsey area of Bradford.

Retired Lesley Daly, 65, of Leaventhorpe Lane, Thornton, discovered about a month ago that three gnomes, as well as three ceramic animal ornaments disappeared from her garden overnight.

Previously solar lights were taken also.

She said: "I'm a keen gardener and spend a lot of time making my garden look nice. As well as the gnomes and ceramic animals that were taken, there was also a ceramic cat that my mum bought me. She wouldn't have spent a lot of money on it, but it had sentimental value to me.

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"I'm upset that after all the hard work I've put in, that people can just come along take them. It's not fair.

"It's also made me decide that I won't spend a lot of money on garden ornaments in the future. I just go to the pound shop now to get things for the garden. I won't pay a lot of money for them anymore - it's not worth it."

Sergeant Emma Rowbottom, of the Bradford West Area Neighbourhood Team, said: "Crimes of this nature are understandably upsetting for residents and tend to increase over the summer months.

"While we are not aware of thefts from gardens being a specific problem in Thornton, we would encourage people to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to their local neighbourhood officers.

"People can also take simple steps to protect their properties and gardens, such as installing garden lighting, fitting locks to gates and marking garden items with their postcode."

"For more information or advice about property marking, please contact your local Crime Reduction Officer on 101 or visit the Crime Prevention pages at www.westyorkshire.police.uk"

It follows a report in the Telegraph & Argus earlier this month about a spate of similar thefts from gardens in Wibsey.

Thieves had been sneaking in during the night to steal garden ornaments, solar lighting and ceramic plant pots.

Two residents contacted the T&A to tell of their plight.

One of the victims was 86-year-old window Violet McGrath, who had precious stone and metal ornaments stolen from her garden in Harbour Crescent five times in a week, including three metal herons, wrought iron bikes with figurines, and a metal rooster on the shed.

Pensioner Keith Betts, 75, and his wife Rosemary, 73, were also victims.

Raiders struck twice at their home in Reevylands Drive. On the first occasion in early May, a metal sea horse and sea shell bird bath, as well as a metal dog ornament were stolen from their back garden.

Then at the beginning of this month three ceramic plant pots were stolen – leaving plants and young yew trees strewn around.