The ransom for the safe return of
Wythering pond, which vanished during the small hours of Tuesday, January 15, has been tripled to £150,000, the Observer can reveal.
A new ransom
note, crudely stenciled and tied to a brick, was thrown through the front window
of Froghill police station in the early hours of this morning. It sets out the
terms of the new demand and is signed ‘The Tadpole Collective’. Accompanying
the note was a photograph of the pond with a copy of today’s Daily Mirror propped up on the duck
house. The photo appears to have been taken in a bathroom. The pond, while
seemingly in good health, is looking a little drained.
“The
first part comes as no great surprise,” said Detective Inspector Alan ‘The
Hammer’ Hardman, who is heading up the investigation. “Ransom demands usually
increase with the passage of time.
“And
while calling for a helicopter is common in hostage situations, in a case like
this it is somewhat unusual.”
The
helicopter in question is a twin rotor Bristol 173, 70 mm long and manufactured
by Dinky Toys in 1961. It is posted on eBay, priced £57, and offered for sale
by a collector in Preston, Lancashire. The
toy is in mint condition and comes complete with its original box.
The
note informs the police that they have one week to supply both the money and
the model aircraft. It does not specify what will happen should the deadline be
missed.
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