9 December 2013

Well that didn't take long. Vandals strike On The Staircase again.

| johnboy
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This just in to us via Twitter.

ArtsACT need to try harder on vandal-proofing.

Or just electrify after hours.

UPDATE: Intriguingly this morning only one little man is missing:

missing man missing man

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Stolen 'fat man' statue handed into city police http://t.co/v7mSGCHSHj #canberra— 1206 2CC (@2CC) December 9, 2013

Make the legs out of rebar that extends deep into the steps. Place a movement sensor that alerts the police when large knocks are felt.

Isn’t there a police office/breakroom or something in Garema Place? behind Gus’ Cafe?

Gerry-Built said :

CraigT said :

That and a lowest-common-denominator education system that doesn’t stamp out hooliganism.

wait… this is educations fault!?! Good values come first from the home…

+1

Bad ones too.

CraigT said :

That and a lowest-common-denominator education system that doesn’t stamp out hooliganism.

wait… this is educations fault!?! Good values come first from the home…

Pork Hunt said :

ausbradr said :

The police presence in Canberra, is almost non-existent. Except to drag the meat-headed idiots getting into fights out of pubs or to check my partner’s ID when she is walking out of a bottle shop, and occasionally popping into cube to search for drugs.

Either your missus gets her drugs from the Cube or you could have worded that a little better…

Haha, nah, we’re not cool enough for cube! :p

milkman said :

maxblues said :

Isn’t there supposed to be CCTV monitoring done in this area?

CCTV won’t achieve a thing beyond showing a grainy image of a teenager in a hoodie.

Not so.

PoQ said :

Perhaps the whole thing could be moved to inside the ANG (as it’s sculpture) or the NLA (as the little men are reading books), and the gift shop(s) could sell figurines.

You beat me to it – clearly needs to be moved indoors somewhere, preferably not inside the shops.

Perhaps the whole thing could be moved to inside the ANG (as it’s sculpture) or the NLA (as the little men are reading books), and the gift shop(s) could sell figurines.

ausbradr said :

The police presence in Canberra, is almost non-existent. Except to drag the meat-headed idiots getting into fights out of pubs or to check my partner’s ID when she is walking out of a bottle shop, and occasionally popping into cube to search for drugs.

Either your missus gets her drugs from the Cube or you could have worded that a little better…

Speaking of bodgy repair jobs, whay are the top four steps covered in verdigris?

It’s because there is so much opportunity for vandals to damage it, and possibly other sculptures while they’re at it.

The police presence in Canberra, is almost non-existent. Except to drag the meat-headed idiots getting into fights out of pubs or to check my partner’s ID when she is walking out of a bottle shop, and occasionally popping into cube to search for drugs.

I used to live in Newtown, and there’s quite a few sculptures and pieces of installation art. Hell there’s even proper (mural) graffiti and it’s very rare it gets vandalised. Perhaps that could be put down to the fact that I would often see the cops walking the streets. You know, it’s a bit risky to go and commit your crimes if a cop is likely to be walking down the street you’re offending on.

As a side effect of increasing police foot patrols, people might actually feel safer to walk outside at night (which they should be able to anyway).

EvanJames said :

And another drain on Canberra City revenue, to replace it, again. You have to wonder who is deciding to attach these things in such an ineffective way though. Screws?!

Remind me how much we paid for this bodgy repair job. I thought from the fanfare that it was welding and the newly installed CCTV cameras would be linked direct to the crime database like in CSI.

And another drain on Canberra City revenue, to replace it, again. You have to wonder who is deciding to attach these things in such an ineffective way though. Screws?!

Gungahlin Al10:01 am 09 Dec 13

I looked at the mount this morning. Quite insubstantial. I can’t believe that it was out of action for so long to come back with a couple of screws and a brazing job. I would have thought they would be welding the thing into it permanently.

The sad reality is that vandalism happens, and raging about it will never stop it. You have to build in anticipation of it. That’s why the pieces in Gungahlin that I had some involvement in are pretty much bullet proof granite and steel.

I was disappointed to see some carvings recently in a suburban park (not saying where) made of sandstone. That’s crazy – far too soft and will not last. And can’t be repaired.

The ACT Gov needs to install a giant rock ball – like The Temple of Doom when Indi steals the gold statue…

poetix said :

Is this just a problem in Canberra? Are statues regularly damaged, or bits stolen, in Paris or Chicago?

Is the lack of large numbers of people in the city the reason for this type of crime happening?

Very sad.

Yep you’re completely right. it;s a) because it’s in a bad area, for drunken late nights b) people here are bored and c) we need more people living around the city.

Put it in New Acton, where apartments and normal people are everywhere, or kingston, and call it a day.

gooterz said :

Needs an alarm.

It needs electrifying…..

30,000 Volts and a small sign saying “Do not touch”.

poetix said :

Is this just a problem in Canberra? Are statues regularly damaged, or bits stolen, in Paris or Chicago?

Is the lack of large numbers of people in the city the reason for this type of crime happening?

That and a lowest-common-denominator education system that doesn’t stamp out hooliganism.

Still, nobody’s been able to knock off the big guy. Disappointing.

Is this just a problem in Canberra? Are statues regularly damaged, or bits stolen, in Paris or Chicago?

Is the lack of large numbers of people in the city the reason for this type of crime happening?

Very sad.

All public art work needs to be vandal proof, or at least resistant, and clearly this piece of work isn’t. Therefore, it shouldn’t be public art out on the streets. It needs to be placed in the foyer of a building, perhaps a library.

Unless it is removed to a more suitable location it will always be a target. Because it’s Canberra and what else is there to do after you leave the clubs on a Saturday night than attack public art, or trees, or the police or other club goers.

maxblues said :

Isn’t there supposed to be CCTV monitoring done in this area?

CCTV won’t achieve a thing beyond showing a grainy image of a teenager in a hoodie.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd8:03 pm 08 Dec 13

Is it vandalism or theft?

Masquara said :

It’s the ACT Government who are the vandals. Why wasn’t it fixed up and then protected? Outrageous. It’s the best sculpture besides the dingos and the Ainslie Shops ones.

They added some protection, the design was altered to make cutting more difficult and a speaker added to the CCTV (guess this shows how closely the CBD cameras are watched.

I think short of encasing it in 3in lexan closer to the chessboard, this one is destined to be a fav of the useless thieves.

Isn’t there supposed to be CCTV monitoring done in this area?

I can just see the news headlines now: police on the hunt for 2 men who abducted a 5inch man from civic.

Needs an alarm.

It’s the ACT Government who are the vandals. Why wasn’t it fixed up and then protected? Outrageous. It’s the best sculpture besides the dingos and the Ainslie Shops ones.

It’s just over a month since they announced increased extra lighting and CCTV around it as well as strengthening the way it was mounted.

As public artworks go, this one has always been one of my favourites, but unfortunately I think it is going to have to be moved.

I hope the CCTV picked up something useable that can be disseminated soon.

oh FFS. This is messed up. They need to move this artwork to a busier area, that area is deserted outside business hours.

Perhaps it’s a protest against obesity.

Holden Caulfield5:33 pm 08 Dec 13

That’s just f***ed!

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