Thieves steal about 200 garden gnomes from Austrian home

About 200 garden gnomes and animal figures have been stolen from a private garden in Mösendorf, part of the market town of Vöcklamarkt in the Vöcklabruck district, ORF reported. The thefts occurred in three incidents over the past few days.

The family has informed police and is seeking witnesses who may have seen something in Mösendorf. Police confirmed to ORF Upper Austria on Thursday that a report had been filed and that an investigation was under way.

The elderly woman had collected garden gnomes for 34 years, according to her granddaughter Madlen Wiespointner. Family members had given her new figures for birthdays, Christmas and Mother’s Day, many of which can no longer be bought.

After the first theft, the family installed a wildlife camera. The footage showed several people, according to the family.

The stolen figures also had sentimental value because many were gifts marking special occasions. Wiespointner said the thefts had seriously affected her grandmother, who was sad, angry and disappointed.

She said her grandmother was also sleeping badly and regularly woke when she heard cars braking, fearing that someone had returned to the garden.