Bat-mad and Robbin'

It’s the recession and you’re feeling the pinch. Your business is struggling and you’ve tried everything. Slashed your prices? Check. Begged for a loan from the bank? Check. Reduced the wage bill? Check. But have you tried stealing vintage cricket bats from an Australian museum?

Yep, those plucky Aussies are at it again. Cricket and fair play just don’t go together when we’re talking about the boys down under. In Darwin, four valuable bats were snaffled from a sports shop to be sold at a huge profit on the black market. To make matters worse, the bats belonged to Don Bradman, widely regarded as the greatest cricketer of all time and boasting a test average of 99.94. Ian Bell eat your heart out.

The bats, valued at 40,000 Australian dollars, were targeted specially by thieves who smashed the front window to gain access to the rare memorabilia. Shop manager Graeme Flesfadar said, “The bats were irreplaceable. They knew exactly what they were after, and they didn't even touch the till. It was being put aside for my kids, I just want it back. Money is not going to replace it.”

Touching stuff indeed.

Darwin police official Gavin Kennedy said it would be hard to sell the items without being caught, but equally it would be “difficult to track the culprits down”. One might say the police are stumped.

(Startupoverseas.co.uk, 2009)