Wagga's Luke the duck found dead

Luke the duck – who endeared himself to Wagga people as an ambassador for mechanics P and P Performance – was found flat on the ground with a broken neck Wednesday morning.

Luke’s owner, James Charlton, moved immediately to link the death of his much-loved duck to an attempted break-and-enter.

“We're not 100 per cent sure, but the suspicion is that someone has jumped the fence and run into Luke,” Mr Charlton said.

“Luke’s made a noise and they’ve turned to him and silenced him.

“It’s so sad.”

Mr Charlton said he approached his neighbour to confirm there was a loud noise in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

He believes this is when eight-year-old duck met foul play.

“Crime is disgusting in Wagga, particularly in Glenfield,” Mr Charlton said.

“It seems every day there is some form of crime that is causing havoc in people’s lives.

“We have two kids and this has just made them so upset.”

Mr Charlton said Luke's sudden death has shocked colleagues at his Ashmont mechanical business, which only weeks ago was targeted by thieves.

He said the well-known duck would be remembered as the animal that made people laugh.

“People would come in and ask where he was,” Mr Charlton said.

“He had a lot of laughter, a lot of attitude and he was very, very vocal – that’s what I think has brought about his demise.”

Luke was known as the webbed foot foreman of the garage because he would walk around quacking as people worked.

He was found as a duckling in Mr Charlton’s backyard after being abandoned by his mother in 2007.

Mr Charlton said he hoped Luke brought happiness in the short moments he entered people’s lives.

In 2007, Luke posed for photographs for the Advertiser and featured on the newspaper’s front-page for his plucky personality.

“He certainly made people smile, that’s for sure” Mr Charlton said.

Anyone with information over Luke’s death should phone Wagga police on 6922 2599 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.