POLICE in Okehampton have declared an amnesty this week — on no-waiting cones.
The force has to buy the cones at a cost of £5 each every time a cone mysteriously vanishes.
Inspector Sarah Curtis of Okehampton Police said: 'We have them going on a regular basis — we lost over 50 cones during the last Ten Tors alone which is obviously a substantial revenue loss to us.'
Inspector Curtis appealed to residents to search the recesses of garages and garden sheds for cones which may have been hiding away for years.
'If you find any cones lurking around there will be no questions asked, just call us and we will come and pick them up,' said Inspector Curtis.
She said people may think the cones are a handy commodity to keep parking places but by taking them they are committing an offence.
'Generally we place them and when we go back to collect them there are less there and we just can't afford to lose them at £5 a go!' she said.
No-waiting cones can be left at Okehampton Police Station at any time, or requests to have cones collected can be put to the police on 0990 700400.