Thieves, vandals hit park and pool again
5-22-03
By Stacey Creasy
Pilot News
PLYMOUTH � Centennial Park facilities have once again fallen to thieves and vandals.
Plymouth Park Superinten-dent Mike Boener said on Sunday someone broke into the concession building at the public pool. Hundreds of dollars in merchandise was taken. The metal doors at the facility were also damaged, possibly beyond repair.
�The big thing is they stole a lot of our first aid supplies, fanny packs used by the lifeguards and some of the other first aid supplies,� Boener said. �They took a life guard suit so if you see someone with a suit that has lifeguard or guard on it, that should not have that kind of suit, that would be a clue.�
A price has not been placed on the items, but the amount may exceed $500.
Boener said the two metal doors were seriously damaged when they pried and popped the doors open.
�I do not know if we will be able to bend them back that much of if we will have to replace the doors,� he said.
The break-in took place over the weekend. Boener said when park employees discovered the damage and the missing items when they went to the area Monday morning.
Between 48 and 72 hours later, vandals arrived at the park with paint in hand, but their artwork was not on display for long.
�They sprayed graffiti on the poles and signs around the park,� Boener said. �They hit the steps leading into the park and the concrete around the pool area.�
Park employs grabbed the cleaning supplies and their power blaster. By 9 a.m. most of the graffiti was gone.
�We like to get rid of it as fast as we can,� Boener said. �We do not want to leave it for people to see, plus we think it cuts down on more incidents if we get rid of it.�
This is the first widespread graffiti at the park in more than a year. Boener is once again considering video cameras for the parks and the facilities in the parks. Budget restraints kept the department from purchasing the cameras last year. Boener is ready to make the request again.
Boener said in the long run video cameras may save the city money and enable the park department to make a few arrests when the vandals strike each spring.
|
|
Interactive Calendar
|
