Stolen bench returned beside Whangārei 'Little Free Library'

Whangārei women Brigid Sinclair is happy the bench stolen from beside the Little Free Library she set up outside her home has been returned. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A drunken prank regretted the next morning. Or maybe social media gave them the guilts to return it.

Whatever the reason Whangārei women Brigid Sinclair is delighted that a bench stolen from outside her home has been returned.

The bench had been beside her colourful Little Free Library outside her Morningside Rd home, but overnight Sunday/Monday it was stolen.

Sinclair, who has painted her Morningside Rd home into a colourful celebration, painted up a donated fridge to become a bright, and waterproof, "Little Free Library". She then put out a call for somebody to donate an old bench to put beside it so that community members, particularly the frail and elderly, could enjoy a nice read in the sun.

Sinclair was humbled when she put the call out on Facebook and a woman donated a brand new black metal bench from Bunnings.

Sinclair said the seat had gone down well with the public, with many using it, but then between 8pm on Sunday and 6.30am Monday somebody stole it.

She put information about the theft out on social media and the Northern Advocate also ran a story about it.

And when Sinclair got up yesterday morning the bench had been returned.

"It's so wonderful to have it back, it just shows the power of social media and the community. (News of the theft) was spread on many social media sites and hundreds of people were talking about it. It's really good that it has been returned, and now it may have to be concreted

in place.''

Sinclair was delighted the bench had been returned and wondered if the social media storm had given somebody the guilts or if it had been a drunken prank to remove it and the people realised the error of their ways in the cold, sober light of day.

Regardless of the reason, she's just happy the bench has been returned and the community members can have a nice place to sit down and have a read, or rest.

Sinclair said the seat had gone down well with the public, with many using it.

"I put it there for the good of the whole community, to give something back, and the community liked it. Just at the weekend there were a couple of older ladies there using it to sort out their books [for the library] and for a nice sit-down," she said.