Gnome thefts vex Roseburg homeowners

Oregon live ^ | 7/11/2003

[nickcarraway]

ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) — Gnome owners beware.

A group calling themselves the "Gnome Liberation Organization" has been swiping the elfin lawn ornaments all over the Roseburg area.

Effie Hagedorn discovered her gnome was missing on Monday. A note from the "GLO" was left on her porch.

"We have received intelligence of an enslaved gnome at your place of residence," the note said. "Whether you have come across this gentle woodland creature through deliberate actions or innocent ignorance, we care not ... It is now in a better place."

Hagedorn said her gnome was a gift from a friend and was guarding her garden. The bearded gnome was about a foot tall and wearing a blue jacket and a red hat. He was holding a garden trowel.

"I just figured, whimsically ... that he was helping me in my garden," she said.

Hucrest resident Mary Bjelland believes her gnome was stolen by a group of teenagers recently seen cruising her neighborhood late at night. She had purchased her gnome just 10 days before it was stolen.

"If I had known that this was something going on I wouldn't have put a gnome out there, especially a new one," Bjelland said.

Gnome thieves are apparently not limited to Roseburg. An Internet search turns up a host of sites devoted to freeing the porcelain creatures.

The GLO note left at Bjelland's home read: "We hope that you will aid us in our quest to dispel the common myth that gnomes are simply inanimate yard decorations."

It doesn't matter that the thefts are a lighthearted prank, said Roseburg Police Sgt. Mark Nickel.

"Kids do silly things," said Roseburg Police Department Sgt. Mark Nickel. But "if it's a theft, we treat it as a theft, funny or not."

However, Nickel said, in these cases "usually their intent is not to permanently deprive the person" of the gnome, in which case a charge of criminal mischief is more likely.

[Lil'freeper]

*ping*

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[El Sordo]

I bet Hermione's in on it.

[Lil'freeper]

[Burkeman1]

Robert Reich should avoid going to this town.

[nickcarraway]

excellent!

[RobFromGa]

Better check out these notorious gnome-snatchin guys...

[I still care]

You thought that too. Maybe someone should give them a sock.

Actually, my son and I were talking today about how conservative the Harry Potter books are. While Hermione seems to be a liberal, one of the main tensions in the book is the way the unjust and overbearing "Ministry of Magic" interferes in everyones lives.

[punster]

If those little gnomes had seen that moving into the neighborhood, the would have packed up and left on their own, no assistance needed. It would not matter if they were concrete, they would have been so revolted that they could not bear to be in the same locale.

[Slyfox]

Maybe they really aren't missing.
Maybe they are just on vacation.

[4mycountry]

pingie!

[Calvin Locke]

I'd have one hollow cast in a conductive metal and hook the sucker up to one of those electric fence jobbies.

Maybe make sure the surrounding area is damp with some conductive liquid...

[Dr. Eckleburg]

I know how they feel.

Last year at Christmas we put up our annual electric Nativity -- a violet Mary; tan Baby Jesus; sapphire, mustard yellow and ruby red Wise Men, respectively; assorted grey and lime green shepherds; and finally, for some reason, a hot pink Joseph.

One night just before Christmas, we awoke to a clattering on the porch. But instead of reindeer, we saw a blue Chevy Nova darting from our driveway, with poor Joseph dangling halfway out the window.

I can only guess what indignities he's suffered.

[nickcarraway]

the sacriliege!

[boris]

[boris]

Beat me to it.

[mlmr]

For pete's sake, a group of teenagers pranking about town and the police are involved? Can't people laugh... a few creative teens ....GLO ....too funny!

[mewzilla]

Sounds like these guys took a page from the dreaded Garden Gnome Liberation Front. To see an example of the GNLF's work, click on this FR thread from a couple of years ago!

[Old Professer]

Make the voltage high enough and the thieves will make their own concuctive liquid.