Greedy squirrels blighted property with half-eaten chocolate in ‘wafergate’
Litter louts who blighted a housing property with half-eaten chocolate for months turned out to be grasping squirrels.
Locals grew to become gripped by the ‘whodunnit’ after Blue Riband bars saved showing.
The saga – dubbed ‘Wafergate’ – was mentioned every day on the property WhatsApp group, with theories and accusations spreading by way of the neighborhood.
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The thriller was lastly solved after a neighborhood who works in a close-by caravan storage facility noticed dozens of Blue Ribands inside a skip.
Another resident then noticed squirrels operating up a tree with wrappers – and put two and two collectively.
![The squirrels were finally exposed as the litter louts](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article31630039.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_SWNS_SQUIRREL_CHOCOLATE_001.jpg)
(Image: William Lailey SWNS)
Local Fiona Downes, 33, a full-time mum, stated: “I first noticed all these wrappers back in September.
“We live on a private estate on an ex-RAF base – it’s a very close-knit community.
“I was walking my children and suddenly noticed there’s loads of Blue Riband wrappers everywhere.
“I posted a picture on our WhatsApp group, asking people to please pick up their wrappers if they’ve been eating chocolate bars.”
But nobody fessed up and, over the next months, extra wrappers and half-eaten chocolate bars continued to look.
Fiona stated: “It grew to become a giant subject amongst residents. Everyone was determined to uncover the perpetrator. It was a giant thriller.
![Squirrels were spotted running up trees with wrappers](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article31630068.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_SWNS_SQUIRREL_CHOCOLATE_006.jpg)
(Image: William Lailey SWNS)
“People were getting annoyed, thinking someone was just littering. While others thought maybe it’s the bin men. Suspicions were growing.”
All grew to become clear when a resident noticed the skip on a website simply behind the property – with a field of Blue Ribands inside.
Another resident, Natalie Clarke, managed to snap photos of squirrels scurrying up a tree, chocolate in mouth.
Fiona stated: “Squirrels had clearly been in there and stolen them all.
“We don’t know where their stash is but there was definitely some kind of box of the chocolate bars in the skip.
“It only took three months to work out!”
Full-time mum Natalie, 42, stated: “We spent months finding these wrappers, we all got a bit obsessed and were trying to hunt people down.
“We were trying to work out who buys wafers from Aldi before we realised that squirrels were doing it.
“When I saw them I was like ‘oh my God I’ve finally found proof’.
“The sheer volume of the bars honestly, they must be going through 100 of them a week.”
![This one looks like he doesn't care one bit](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article31630070.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_SWNS_SQUIRREL_CHOCOLATE_007.jpg)
(Image: William Lailey SWNS)
Fiona stated: “Once somebody had posted the pictures of squirrels it took the excitement away.
“Then it seemed to calm down and we thought they might have finished their supply but in the past few days lots of the wrappers have been appearing again.
“We’re not sure why the chocolate was left on our property. Maybe it was an out-of-date box.”
Fiona added that the entire saga for these in Dudley Crescent in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire has been “a good bit of fun.”
She stated: “It’s become a huge joke with everyone and we’ve all had a good laugh.
“I’d like to know how a squirrel opens a chocolate bar. They probably won’t be able to walk now due to putting on so much weight.”