Lady makes roadside appeal for return of her beloved stolen recycling box

It’s just a box to put her recycling in, but to its owner, it has a special place in her heart. And so when it was stolen in a bizarre brazen theft, Emma Holcombe wanted the world to know. After struggling to find her beloved box, she was horrified to discover that it had been stolen in broad daylight.

An elderly neighbour in Chilcompton, Somerset had watched in amazement as a woman had snatched the item. The woman had driven up, got out, had a word with a postman, before crossing the road, emptying Emma’s recycling box, putting it in her car and driving away. What made the situation worse is that this was no ordinary recycling box, but one with sentimental value.



It had been left to Emma with other items by an aunt when she died. Emma said: “I find it quite shocking that anyone would do something like this.” She was so annoyed that she made a giant sign, which she has put up in front of her house, appealing to the woman to return the box.

It reads: “To the person who stole my recycling plastic tub please return it.” Emma explained: “If she does it will return my faith in humanity. At the moment I have not got any. I don’t want her to apologise, I just want the tub back.” The box, which is made of clear plastic, is about three times bigger than a normal recycling box, and has a lid.