Flowers left for Moat as others loot his garden

Jul 11 2010 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

SCAVENGERS wanting twisted souvenirs from Raoul Moat’s reign of terror scavenged his garden, as the gunman was cornered 30 miles away, the Sunday Sun can reveal.

While the nation was glued to their TV screens, watching footage of police negotiators trying to bring an end to the stand-off, sick scavengers were spotted by neighbours looting Moat’s garden in Fenham Hall Drive in Newcastle.

One man, who didn’t want to be named, said: “I saw a group of four people bringing a wooden picnic bench up the front path and they just doddled away down the street with it. People were just stripping the place. Do they want to keep his things for keepsakes or something?

“Others were nipping in and picking things out of the front garden. I couldn’t see what they were taking because it was dark but there’s not much in there anyway, just broken gates, toys and lumps of wood.

“I know he’s done wrong, but it’s disgusting that people would do this while the stand-off was taking place just down the road.”

Two police patrol cars turned up outside his home shortly before 11pm. One was left stationed outside the property overnight and remained there for most of the day yesterday.

Early yesterday morning, a shrine to the dead gunman was also set up outside his home.

Despite allegedly killing Chris Brown and wounding his ex Sam Stobbart, 22, and PC Darren Rathband, 42, Moat’s passing was mourned by some.

A white church candle burned, on the pillar was inscribed: “In Loving Memory” and a further note was taped underneath, which read: “God have mercy on you son, RIP.”

Flowers were laid at the home with messages of condolence. One read: “Dear Raul, may you rest in peace.

“Our thoughts are with you and your close friends. We were on your side even though we didn’t know you that well. RIP Kelly S. and Derek H. Our thoughts are with your children xx”

Further notes read: “We remember the old times, from Moz and Claire xxxxx” and “Always a good friend, always here to help a mate, hope now you’ve found peace . . . but never forgotten”

Passers-by stopped to read the tributes and around 12 bouquets of flowers were laid on the street.

By last night 38 groups had been set up in his memory on the social networking website Facebook, many of them titled Raoul Moat RIP.