By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
BENJI the free range rabbit beat death twice before he died – and now his grieving owner has lost him a second time after thieves ransacked her Lynbrook home and stole Benji’s ashes.
Maria Priestley calls Benji, the mini lop rabbit, her best friend.
“He was my little mate”, she said.
“He was more like a little puppy dog.
“He was 24/7 free range around the house, he was toilet trained and he was very special.”
Having taken on some of her biggest life challenges to date with Benji by her side, Maria said it was now knowing she’d never have him that hurt the most.
“I’m gutted and totally heart-broken – I just want him back,” Maria said.
Burglars stole thousands of dollars of camera equipment and electrical goods from Maria and her housemate.
But that can all be replaced – Benji can’t, Maria said.
“It’s a $20 box I bought from the crematorium – it’s worthless to them.”
Maria had four sets of pets’ ashes stored in her wardrobe and believes the thieves mistook the wooden boxes for jewellery boxes.
“When I went inside there was bits and pieces all over the house – they knocked the other ashes to the ground in their pouches,” she said.
Benji’s good friend Minty the guinea pig was also stored in the box which was stolen and Maria is now dealing with ongoing trauma from the break-in.
“It’s been an emotional time since being broken into, I still feel that their presence is in the house,” Maria said.
“It’s affected mine and my housemates’ day to day lives, I feel like we’re in lockdown, everything is locked and I’m scared they will come back.
“I had Benji cremated so wherever I go in life he’ll be there with me and knowing that I don’t have his ashes by my side ultimately means he’s gone forever – we faced death together – nothing can explain that feeling.”
Maria posted a message to the thieves on her Facebook page asking for a safe return of her beloved Benji and Minty’s ashes, saying ‘please drop them at the front door, no questions asked’.
A police report was filed on the day of the break-in on Tuesday 24 May but no witnesses came forward and no fingerprints were found.
Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
