Very sad when this sort of thing happens , i live about one minute walking away from Hizzys statue , there was a book of condolence left in a plastic box under statue for quiet a long time after the unveiling , remember my wife and i at statue one evening when we both signed book & thinking to myself how nice that it was left there for people to read & sign & had not been touched . This incident i feel has probably been done by young kids who probably dont know any better . Birching is a good idea & is a deterrent know of one or two have had it & it certainly made them think twice .