Thieves make off with giant Australian mango

[LazyLion]

Thieves armed with heavy machinery and cranes made a daring midnight heist in northern Australia, stealing a 10-metre, seven-tonne mango monument, officials said Monday.

The Big Mango, a towering likeness of the fruit which is abundant in the statue's hometown of Bowen, in Queensland, is one of more than 150 "Big Things" erected as kitschy tourist attractions across Australia.

The famous fruit, which was unveiled in 2002, appeared to have been harvested overnight in an ambitious raid, said Bowen Tourism chairman Paul McLaughlin.

"It looks like it was sort of two o'clock this morning-type thing. There was ... some heavy equipment and it looks like they've taken the mango," McLaughlin told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

He said he thought it was a joke when he was first informed of the mango's abduction but "I've come out and sure enough the mango has disappeared".

McLaughlin said there was surveillance camera footage of the heist and he was sure the plundered fruit would be found.

"At the end of the day it's a bloody big mango and I'm sure someone will see it and we'll find it anyway," he told the Brisbane Times.

"I think it'll definitely turn up, no doubt about that. We're not sure what has happened but I'm sure we'll get it back."

There are giant fruits all over Australia, including the Big Banana, the Big Pineapple, the Big Strawberry and multiple Big Apples and Oranges.

There are also giant fishes, a lobster, penguin, kangaroo, koalas, and even a giant cask of wine.

Bowen is known as the mango production capital of Australia.


Source : Sapa-AFP /kd
Date : 24 Feb 2014 07:08

 

[Compton_effect]

Congratulations America. You've made Nando's marketing even weirder.

Makeshift Meth Lab Found Inside Bowen’s Giant 3 Storey High Mango Following Theft

Two men have been charged as a makeshift meth-lab, dubbed the “Meth Mango” has been found inside the access hatch at the base of Bowen’s iconic 10 tonne Mango.

Last week Bowen’s 10m high mango disappeared overnight. Security footage (seen below), show a heavy crane backing up and removing the town’s iconic fruit.

The ten-tonne, three-storey high mango was located yesterday morning in the bushes behind the Bowen Tourist Information Centre – from where it disappeared early yesterday morning. The disappearance was supposedly a prank by fast food chain Nandos, but things took a more sinister turn as a makeshift meth-lab and $50,000 of pre-cursor chemicals were found inside the mango’s access hatch at the base.

Two suspects from Flagstaff Hill apparently involved in the mango turned meth lab have been taken in for questioning.

According to Bowen’s police chief, two men have allegedly been charged with manufacture of methamphetamine more than 0.5 grams, promotion of methamphetamine manufacture, initiation of a process intended to result in the manufacture of methamphetamine, reckless endangerment and five counts of simple assault from a prior incident in December.

“It appears these men have moved into the Meth-Mango following it’s relocation as it provided insulation against the elements”, a Bowen Police representative revealed.

“Methamphetamine labs are very dangerous because of the mixture of chemicals used in the making of meth,” the Police source said. “Hotels and recreational vehicles are common places for the labs to be set up, but this is the first reported incident where a lab has been found inside a giant fruit. If you smell a strange chemical odor, or see a lot of foot traffic in and out of one particular hotel room, please call your local police department.”

Both the Bowen tourism department and Nando’s fast food chain have refused comment following this recent development.

Um. Breaking Mango?

 

[Grant]

Makeshift Meth Lab Found Inside Bowen’s Giant 3 Storey High Mango Following Theft



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Um. Breaking Mango?

wasn't this australia ?