Shirley Sparks was devastated to find her sculpture Owl had been stolen from Te Puna Quarry Park.
A group of volunteers have been left devastated by thieves and vandals.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, members of the Te Puna Quarry Park Society Committee volunteer their own time to make the park a scenic and enjoyable place for people to visit.
On Tuesday they arrived to find Owl, a popular sculpture that has stood in the park for more than 20 years, had vanished. Owl was one of many pieces donated to the park by local artist Shirley Sparks.
The thieves went to some effort, having to rip the sculpture from its concrete base.
"We're pretty devastated really," committee member Dulcie Artus said.
Owl, a sculpture by Shirley Sparks which stood in the Te Puna Quarry Park for more than 20 years, has been stolen. Photo / Supplied
"People can be so rotten. We all work very hard at it and it's really tough for Shirley, she has put a lot of her early pottery into there and the owl has been a constant there all those years. She's now 90 years old so she's not about to start potting again."
It's not the first time the park has been targeted - plants have been stolen on multiple occasions.
Owl's creator Shirley Sparks said she could not figure out the thought process behind the act of vandalism. Photo/George Novak
Artus said she always enjoyed seeing the familiar owl when she visited the park.
"I'm sure other people are missing it too. I'd love someone to bring it back and have a sense of responsibility. It's a complete lack of respect for what we volunteers are doing there. We're talking 30 to 40 people who volunteer to make the park a wonderful place to be.
"They steal a lot of plants too and it's got worse in the last 12 months particularly, it happens very regularly.
"There's a cry from some about getting cameras, which we're investigating, but the thing is it's a very big park so it's not clear whether cameras would stop anything. We're trying to find a solution."
I'm terribly, terribly disappointed that this community can house people like this, who are helping themselves to plants and sculptures.
Owl's creator Shirley Sparks said she could not figure out the thought process behind the act of vandalism.
"Why are people doing this? It's so distressing. I'm terribly, terribly disappointed that this community can house people like this, who are helping themselves to plants and sculptures.
"Is it to sell or give away or break? Why are they doing that? They're taking away from a place that is for all the public to enjoy."
The owl sculpture was ripped from its concrete base. Photo / Supplied
Sparks said she put hours into her sculptures and it brought her great joy to think of members of the public enjoying them at the park.
"I just love seeing the result of what the volunteers have done. They are so enthusiastic and they want to create a place for everyone to come and enjoy. If people keep taking away from that, it is going to ruin the whole atmosphere of the park. It ruins it for everyone.
"Owl was loved and admired and enjoyed. Now he's gone. I would appeal to people who might have seen anything suspicious to let someone know.
"Someone must have seen something, it would have been quite an effort to haul Owl off his pedestal and carry him down the tracks of the quarry."
The committee is working on finding security solutions for the ongoing issues at the park, including consulting with the Western Bay of Plenty Council about how they can work together for better outcomes.
The case has been reported to police, who confirmed they are investigating.
If anyone did see anything that might help find Owl, they can email info@quarrypark.org.nz
