“Chickens are hard to steal, they make a lot of noise. They must have done it before, it can’t have been the first time'

Get FREE email updates for West London

A group of allotment owners are 'devastated' following the theft of a flock of chickens.

The 14 chickens were stolen from the Brentham Allotments, on Lynwood Road in Ealing, on Saturday night (September 25) between 7.30pm and 8pm.

They were taken just after it had just got dark and owners of the chickens have said that it must have been an organised, well planned theft.

The chickens are owned by a co-operative community group who tend to them and share an allotment space.

READ MORE:Marks and Spencer announces major change to the way it sells chicken

Just after the last person left the allotment on Saturday they were taken.

One owner said that she knew they had been taken shortly after the last person left because their chicken coop had been cleaned that day and unusually the pen had no mess on the inside come morning.

Owners of the chickens believe the perpetrators have done it before because it would be difficult task to take 14 chickens without leaving one or making noise.

Nada Geraldine, a member of the community allotment, spoke on the emotionally draining chicken theft, she said: “Unfortunately last night our chicken coop on the Brentham allotments was broken into and all of our 14 hens are gone.

“I don’t know why they were stolen, maybe someone was desperate for eggs. They can’t even be eaten.

“The lock to the chicken pen was broken with a crowbar.

“Chickens and hens are hard to steal, they make a lot of noise and there were 14 of them. They must have done it before, it can’t have been the first time.

“It makes you think what type of people these are. Where is there red line in the criminal world? If they can do this then what else are they going to do?

“We are all devastated. If anyone has any information that may help us please get in contact.”

Do you want to stay up to date with the latest news, views, features and opinion from across the city?

MyLondon's brilliant newsletter The 12 is absolutely jam packed with all the latest to keep you keep you entertained, informed and uplifted.

You'll get 12 stories straight to your inbox at around 12pm. It’s the perfect lunchtime read.

And what's more - it's FREE!

The MyLondon team tells London stories for Londoners. Our journalists cover all the news you need - from City Hall to your local streets, so you'll never miss a moment.

Don't skip a beat and sign up to The 12 newsletter here.

The chickens aren’t actually suitable to be used for meat, if someone stole them for dinner they will soon be disappointed.

To add an even stranger twist, the chickens only cost £10-15 each. They are hardly worth selling, or stealing for that matter.

On the allotments website the community talked of previous trouble, a recent statement regarding safety on the allotment said: “Brentham has a history of security problems we are trying to control.

“These include fly-tipping in the car park, theft from sheds, overnight sleeping by rough sleepers and vandalism.”

Anyone with information about the theft can contact the Brentham allotments community online here.