After offering a substantial reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction for vandalism, Guilden Gilbert has been inundated with calls.

Ironically, he said, no one mentioned the reward or even asked how much he was offering after he and his wife discovered property damage when they returned from the Bahamas.

The couple’s bird bath and sculpture had been destroyed and the goldfish in the fish pond he built himself had all died.

Disappointed and hurt, he spoke with this newspaper to appeal for information.

Since then he said: “I’ve had call after call after call but no one seems to know anything.

“I’ll wait and see what happens, I have a few suspects but no proof at all. Only time will tell, Sometimes people give themselves away.”

Surprisingly he added: “No one even mentioned the reward. They expressed regret that this sort of thing happened.

“They have gardens as well and would hate for anything like this to happen to them, but nobody mentioned money.”

When contacted he had just returned from buying new items to replace the damaged bird bath and fish pond.

“I bought a new one today from a place down on Vesey Street from Mr Madeiros. I think it’ll all be repaired soon but that depends on my mason.

“I’ve left it all in his hands,” said Mr Gilbert.

Still convinced his property was damaged deliberately, he said both he and his wife are looking forward to the day when their decorative bird bath and fish pond have been restored.