Coonabarabran Times (digital) - 24.4.2024

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Teen vandals kick off chaos at local ovals A group of teenagers targeted Coonabrabran’s sporting faciliities on Saturday evening, destroying thousands of dollars worth of property and infrastructure...all for a few chips and drinks. by GEORGIA SPENCE Early on Sunday morning, Tony Cole, secretary of the Coonabarabran Unicorns Rugby League Football Club, was returning gear to the club’s rooms at Number One Oval, following the league knockout held in Coolah the previous day. What he found was the remnants of a break and enter, after an alleged six teenagers destroyed infrastructure to gain access to the canteen. This marks the third time in three years that vandalism has occurred to property, which is used by the Unicorns and a number of other sporting user groups at the oval. The teenagers broke into the canteen by damaging the roof on the outside, under the eve of the building. Mr Cole said he believes the offenders would have had to crawl through the roof cavity and kick through the ceiling in order to steal a few chips, lollies and drinks. They left behind a slew of broken glass and rubbish, and also stole a boom box, which was to be raffled off at Sunday’s Family Fun Day organised by Coonabarabran Local Aboriginal Land Council. To get to the drinks, the offenders damaged a brand new $2500 fridge the Unicorns had been fund-raised for and which had only been used for one season. The offenders also broke the timber door into the canteen and kicked the steel gate to get out. Mr Cole said the club was frustrated and was questioning whether the sporting facilities were a safe place to continue storing their gear. “It makes you sick when you think about the amount of hard work the committee has done to provide the club with decent equipment, let alone have a club for a start,” Mr Cole said. “We are very bitter at the moment. The fact people want to come in, damage our community sporting facilities and steal property makes no sense to me.

1 - Coonabarabran Times, Wednesday, 24 April 2024

“They know they can get away with it because they are not of age. We were told there were six of them and they were all minors. They get a slap on the wrist and the community foots the bill.” Two of the offenders were caught on the night red-handed, after Police noticed they were in possession of the goods stolen from the canteen. Mr Cole said he went to check damage at Number 3 Oval with Police officers and found all the locks were busted. When they were investigating the damage, a woman staying in the cabins at John Oxley Caravan Park told Mr Cole and the Police she had walked over to the oval the previous evening when she heard loud banging. The offenders allegedly told her it was not her business and shunned her away. “It’s a brazen act, getting caught in the middle of it all and carrying on,” Mr Cole said. “Gives you an idea to the attitude of these kids. They have got no morals. They don’t care. It breaks your heart.” The buildings themselves are property of Warrumbungle Shire Council and the league club committee is unsure as to what insurance policies are put in place, as all equipment is owned by user groups. Mr Cole said in light of the destruction, the community is backing the club and businesses have offered to help fix the damage. Moving forward, it is up to Council’s discretion as to how security at the sporting facilities can be improved. Currently, no CCTV cameras exist in the area and the club is hoping Council can install sensor lights to pick up on any night-time movement. Other damage In separate incidents, the front window of Sole Impression in John Street was smashed by unknown person/s, while facilities at the Showground were damaged on Saturday evening by gatecrashers at a private function.

Teenagers allegedly gained access to the canteen at Coonabarabran’s Number 1 Oval through the roof.


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Coonabarabran Times (digital) - 24.4.2024 by Coonabarabran Times - Issuu