Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Fury as vandals swap padlocks
VANDALS have repeatedly t a r gete d a c om m u n it y facility and caused hundreds of pounds of damage.
Containers owned by Mill o’ Mains Pavilion Group have been broken into more than once – and even had their padlocks swapped over by the criminals.
The containers store kit used by the group to provide activities and events in the area. They have been used by the group since a fire destroyed the area’s pavilion in the summer of 2017.
Group member Maggie Anderson said she was disgusted and shocked to discover the containers had been broken into recently, with equipment damaged and left scattered all over the area.
Maggie said: “We had padlocks on the two containers.
“However, we discovered that the padlocks we had on them had been broken, the containers entered and equipment scattered around and damaged.
“Bizarrely, whoever did this actually put new padlocks of their own on to the units.”
Maggie said that the group then paid for two more padlocks.
She added: “These were subsequently damaged by, we believe, the original vandals.
“They had deliberately broken a key in the lock, we think in a bid to stop us opening it.
“We had to call out a locksmith again and once more have the padlocks replaced.
“This is very strange behaviour, you wouldn’t normally expect someone who had broken into something to then replace the padlocks at their own expense.
“We are baffled by what has been happening but we have contacted the police and are waiting for them to investigate.”
Maggie said the replacement padlocks alone had cost the group hundreds of pounds.
The callous crooks had also damaged sports equipment, including badminton racquets and snooker cues and they left the generator open.
Another group member, Yvonne Mullen said: “We are disgusted at this. We have obviously struggled enough to continue to provide activities to the community following the fire at the pavilion.
“We could do without this. It’s like someone is deliberately targeting us.”
Police confirmed they had received a report the containers had been broken into, but said no crime was established.
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