Theft won’t strike out ball club
Hundreds, maybe thousands, of bases have been stolen over the years at a local Wellington softball ground but, for the first time in three decades, someone has nabbed the fence.
Broken cable ties and copper wire were left strewn on the ground at the scene of the crime at Alex Moore Park in Johnsonville, where thieves cut apart the fencing and carried away 20 panels.
The field is home to Johnsonville Softball Club, whose president Robin Cutting described the theft as ‘‘unusual’’.
‘‘Thirty years I’ve been doing this, and I’ve never seen anything like this,’’ he said.
Cutting is determined the summer of softball won’t be ruined. There are about two weeks for the club and the Wellington Softball Association to scramble to find new fencing, so teams can play at the Premier-level field again.
The metal heist is believed to have taken place between December 18-28. The job would’ve required at least two people and a large truck or trailer, Cutting said.
‘‘You do think that someone must know a wee bit about softball or fencing the way they’ve just ripped it all off,’’ he said.
The short fence used to mark the field boundary is put up at the start of each season by club members and taken down in the autumn, when the season ends.
Ironically, for the majority of the 30 years since the ground was built, the panels would remain stacked up against another fence when not in use throughout the winter, unlocked and untouched.
Ariana Wharakura, who plays for the club’s under-9 side, described the destruction of the field as ‘‘bad’’.
The 8-year-old, who can hit a ball at terrifying speed, called for the thieves to return the stolen goods.
The club will now face the challenge of sourcing materials for a new fence, which will likely be a temporary fix for the rest of the season.
About 250 club members play and train at the field, ranging from its 12 junior teams all the way through to the premier grade.
A police spokeswoman said they received a report of a theft from a sports field in Johnsonville that occurred in December 2021.
‘‘Police have exhausted lines of inquiry and the matter has been filed pending any further information arising,’’ she said.