By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – At 78 years old, Alabaster resident Carolyn Ledbetter loves spending time outside gardening, and was gearing up to plant some collard greens a few weeks ago when she noticed something missing.

Ledbetter left her house in the 1400 block of Smokey Road to run a few errands during the day on Sept. 22, but returned home to find her recently purchased tiller was missing from her front yard.

“I bought it last spring, and I’m still making payments on it even though it’s gone,” Ledbetter said during an Oct. 9 phone interview.

Ledbetter said her son-in-law, Donnie Snow, had just filled the tiller with a special type of oil, and said she had left it in the yard in preparation to till a section of her yard in preparation for her fall garden.

Snow said many valuable items were outside at the time of the theft, as Ledbetter had placed items on her porch to donate to charity, but said the $449 tiller was the only thing missing.

Ledbetter filed a report with the Alabaster Police Department, but said she will not pursue charges if the person responsible for the theft returns the item.

“We’d just like to have it back. We won’t cause any trouble. If they can just bring it back and put it on our property, we won’t say a word,” Ledbetter said.

Ledbetter said she enjoys gardening, and said she purchased the tiller to help her with the hobby.

“Gardening is one of my favorite things. At my age, I’m glad to be able to get out there and do it,” Ledbetter said. “I’d just hate to lose (the tiller).”

Ledbetter said anyone with information about the theft can call her at 663-6923.