A THIEF who stole part of a bicycle trolley, making the rest of it unusable, has been invited to come back and take the whole thing.

Rowan Tilly, of Percy Street in East Oxford, was upset at the theft, but even more angry at the fact the frame was useless on its own.

Now the 53-year-old has posted a notice outside her house telling the crook to either return it or take it all.

She said: “I am happy if they come along quietly and take it.

“I am sure they don’t want to let me know who they are. I would rather it be a trolley someone can actually use.

“But it would be even better if they brought it back.”

She said the thief could turn “borrower” rather than be “a cad, bounder or rascal”.

Ms Tilly was keeping the outer frame of her bike trolley at the front of her home while she finished building a bike shed.

But one evening this month she realised the outer frame, which she had chained to her wooden fence, had been stolen.

The remaining part is now left unlocked in the street.

Ms Tilly, who is a fundraiser for an environmental research organisation, said: “It has wobbled my faith in human nature and that’s what I find difficult.

“I was really upset and got quite angry especially when I realised they had only taken half of it.

“It’s a waste of human endeavour and a waste of resources.”

Ms Tilly uses the trolley occasionally to transport heavy items – including when she moved house.

She bought it about 17 years ago for £240 from a shop in London and decided to write the note to try to see a “funny side” of the theft.

“I thought it’s a ludicrous thing to do to put a sign up asking for it back and also invite the person to take away the inner part.

“I want to salvage something from the situation and do something that might appeal to their better nature and to give someone on the street something to laugh at.”

Police said the theft occurred sometime overnight on Thursday, December 2, and Friday December 3.

eallen@oxfordmail.co.uk

  • Anyone with information about the bike trolley should call police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.