Murdered Granny’s Gates Stolen in Bold Night Heist
Grieving neighbours of murdered 77-year-old Georgina Edmonds are shocked after a pair of hefty black electric gates were ripped from her former home in Otterbourne. The gates, guarding Fig Tree Cottage on Kiln Lane, vanished sometime between 10pm on Saturday 21st August and 10am Sunday 22nd August.
Convicted Killer Behind 2008 Murder
Edmonds was the victim in one of Hampshire Constabulary’s biggest murder investigations back in January 2008. Matthew Hamlen was convicted of her murder after being re-arrested on “powerful fresh evidence,” having been acquitted in 2012 due to poor DNA proof. At Winchester Crown Court, Mr Justice Saunders sentenced Hamlen to a minimum 30 years behind bars.
Gates Attract Attention Since £650K Home Sold
Since the tragic killing, the £650,000 property has changed hands twice – in January 2010 and July 2016. The new owners swapped out the original gates for the current imposing black electric ones to boost privacy and block the constant gaze of passersby. Those gates have even featured in a recent documentary recounting Granny Edmonds’ horrific case.
Police Hunt For Heavy, Stolen Gates – Need Your Help Now
Hampshire Police are scrambling to find the stolen gates. The heavy barriers would have needed several people and a large vehicle to haul them away. Officers appealing for anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious around Kiln Lane between the stated times.
- Did you spot a large vehicle parked along Kiln Lane?
- Do you live nearby and have CCTV, ring doorbell, or dash cam footage?
- Did you notice any shady characters lurking around late Saturday night?
If you have any info to aid the investigation, call 101 quoting incident number 44210334818.
Hampshire Police: “Unfortunately, we have no vehicle details or direction of travel yet. The gate is extremely heavy and required multiple people and a large vehicle to move it. Please come forward if you have any information.”
