Seven-tonne mango 'stolen' from small town in Australia
Mystery surrounds the disappearance of a three-story, seven-tonne 'Big Mango' from a town in northern Australia.
Tourism chiefs in Bowen, northern Queensland, claim the gigantic fruit - a local attraction that honours the locale's top fruit crop - was taken in an overnight heist by crane-driving thieves, and have published CCTV to back up their claim.
However many have dismissed the tale as an obvious publicity stunt aimed at drumming up interest in the backwater - and police say the theft has not been reported.
Bowen's Big Mango is one of 150 "Big Things" erected as tourist attractions in small towns across Australia - others include the Big Banana, Big Strawberry, Big Pineapple and several multiple Big Apples and Oranges, according to Sky News.
"There are also giant fish, a lobster, penguin and kangaroo - and even a giant cask of wine."
According to Bowen Tourism chairman Paul McLaughlin, the 10-metre fibreglass sculpture was found to be missing when tourism staff arrived at work this morning - and it hadn't been due any maintenance.
“We have notified police it’s missing," Mr McLaughlin told The Australian, adding however that no official complaint had been made.
“At this stage we’re taking a soft approach and making our own inquiries.”
Mr McLaughlin insisted the case of the missing mango was not part of a publicity stunt.
“We think it will turn up soon. It’s not the sort of thing that’s easily hidden and you certainly couldn’t sell it,” Mr McLaughlin said.
“We’ve spoken to police and they were happy that we weren’t reporting it as stolen."
Bowen is the mango production capital of Australia.
