'Just gutted': Thieves steal Canterbury community’s iconic coal cart

Aug 07, 2023

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That question has left the Glentunnel community stumped after one of its coal carts, which are at the entry points to the area, went missing.

"We’re just gutted, to be honest, gutted that somebody’s done it.

"You know what’s next? There’s all the concerned citizens because we do have a lot more bits that are more historic than that.

"My jaw hit the ground when I found out about it."

To remove the cart the thieves had to cut the metal straps holding it to a rail.

“It’s a fairly heavy object,” Chambers said.

One of the people involved in its construction was Malvern Ward Selwyn district councillor Bob Mugford.

“It really upsets me. I couldn’t believe it when I was told.”

“It had only been there a week when someone pushed it down a bank.”

The settlement was well known for its coal and sand mines in the 1870s.

Chambers said he has reported the theft to police.

He is still holding out hope someone has seen it and it will be returned.

"We’re just waiting to see if it turns up at some stage.

"It’s quite annoying because we are a township that doesn’t seem to get a lot of crime at all."

Chambers said they are now looking at doing more fundraising to install CCTV cameras in Glentunnel.