A plan to brighten up the Esplanade has unravelled after thieves made off with giant balls of knitted ''graffiti'' art.
The graffiti was created by Bayfield High School year 10 technology pupils who spent class time last term making covers for three of the boulders along the Esplanade.
One piece of knitting remains wrapped around the post of the shark-warning sign but the thieves stole ''all the good ones'' from the boulders, pupil Penny Woods (14) said.
''We are a bit disappointed - all the hard work. We tried to brighten up St Clair because of the sinkholes and then people come along and do this,'' Penny said.
It is thought the knitting went missing about two weeks ago.
The girls could not work out what the knitting might have been used for, although it did contain a lot of wool - all donated by Presbyterian Support.
''It was just to be mean,'' pupil Jamie Burrows (14) said.
Technology teacher Catharine Kan said they had not reported the missing knitting to the police but it would be nice if the perpetrator returned it.
She said they did get permission from the Dunedin City Council before putting the knitting in place.
