20 January 2009

The palm tree scourge

| MWF
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[First filed: January 19, 2009 @ 09:54]

Palm tree fires. Does it qualify as a “spate” yet?

ACT Policing reported on fires in the inner suburbs on Monday January 12.

However, other palm tree fires don’t seem to have hit the news. Perhaps the police are keeping a lid on them so the juveniles who are deliberately threatening people and property are not rewarded by gaining media attention? Maybe people are not reporting the fires?

A friend has seen a burned palm tree in Gowrie and I saw one myself today in Richardson.

If anyone here has a palm tree I suggest they keep a close watch on it, especially at night, when it seems these idiots enjoy starting the fires. If any of these tree fires get out of control, homes could be destroyed and people killed.

Anyone else seen or heard anything?

[ED – send in photos to images@the-riotact.com]

UPDATED: The Canberra Times brings word some of the alleged miscreants were arrested on Saturday night.

ANOTHER UPDATE: The CT now reports that Madison Osbourne, 18, of Duffy, has fronted court (and more importantly can be named). Osbourne is denying being the one in the car who was lighting the fires.

It also sounds very much as if the trees were being staked out.

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The Arsonist said :

Oh my goD. I am so sorry for the grief i have caused all of you.

NOT IT WAS F***ING SICK TORCHING YOUR 10,000 DOLLAR TREES!!!

it was the sickest!!! 😀

Perspective?

luther_bendross12:54 pm 15 May 09

ant said :

If we all put in 50 cents, d’you reckon the site owners would give us a look at his IP addy?!

WTF? Fiddy Cent and P.Diddy?

I understand the right to anonymity until the po-po formally request the relevant info, but doesn’t it seem a bit strange that:
a) This post is on the same site that is asking for submissions on the ESA’s Bushfire Management Plan; and
b) That a post obviously condoning illegal activities is not moderated, however one that is “off topic” wil be????

Let’s also remember the inquest currently underway in Victoria.

Come on RiotACT, get some perspective and some consistency.

If we all put in 50 cents, d’you reckon the site owners would give us a look at his IP addy?!

Oh yeah, good work The Arsonist. It must be good to be so tough you can get on RiotACT and pull out the old CAPS!

Are you at home alone on the computer cos all your friends went and dobbed your ass in to the cops?

Or, perhaps you are just another sad little person who thinks lighting fires is funny.

The Arsonist12:12 pm 15 May 09

Oh my goD. I am so sorry for the grief i have caused all of you.

NOT IT WAS F***ING SICK TORCHING YOUR 10,000 DOLLAR TREES!!!

Yep, you can just see them, bristling with Rights but can’t even pronounce “responsibility”.

Tempestas said :

Why does anyone do this – so senseless.

For the same reason anyone would skate on a war memorial, it’s not their fault they’re bored, it’s everyone else’s fault for not providing them with free amusement whenever and wherever they want it.

Tempestas said :

Why does anyone do this – so senseless.

Because they’re nasty little tossers with a forest on their shoulders?

Why does anyone do this – so senseless.

I’m personally no fan of palms in this environment, but just because I wouldn’t plant one doesn’t mean I’d ever want to damage someone elses.

Keeping any and every tree we can alive and healthy seems to me a great way of adding to the environment, providing some shade giving structure to our streets.

I say we send them to somewhere without trees, like the Simpson desert with about 30l of water and no transport. See if they still want to set fire to them if they make it back.

maybe they should be staked out. on an anthill. covered in honey.

I just hope they keep the little arsonists locked up for the entire bushfire season!

GardeningGirl2:27 am 20 Jan 09

For starters make them clean up the mess they made and make them pay for replacements! Bad enough the trauma for the homeowners, they should not have to bear the physical and financial cost of fixing things up while the poor little dears walk away.

These trees are things we all look at, they’re part of our world. I’m so sick of scum who feel they can deprive us of these things. The blackened one on Morrisett st is a disgrace, how long did it take to grow to that height? All finished in a few minutes.

what happens when the palm they torch sheds embers and starts a really big fire?

destroys a home, a paddock or a street of homes?

they’d better hope that the cops get them then, the residents may just build a guy fawkes bonfire…

A whole lot in Qbn were burned last week. You might have noticed them, they’re very tall palms like you see in country towns. There’s a pic of one on my Peturnias in Qbn story. That one hasn’t been burned (yet) but another traffic island one down on Morrisett St (near Burns Mill) has been crisped, and apparently 3 others went up the same night.

I loathe evil stupid destructive people who wreck our world for us. They were talking to a lady on the radio this morning who had a tree in their front garden burned.

It’s time for real consequences for this rotten little creatures who diminish our living environment.

My niece, who lives in Deamer Cres, Richardson, had their 20ft palm tree torched 7 days ago. Probably the same little bastards.

The fire caused a lot of truma for her and her young family as it was located in front of the children’s bedrooms.

I bet nothing happens to the little shits.

Holden Caulfield11:28 am 19 Jan 09

FFS some people commit some pretty mindless acts.

Having had a few trees and plants nicked from our front yard in recent times I can only imagine how much more less than impressed with humanity I would be if I awoke to discover something similar to this.

They should burn the pubes of the little scrotes!

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