Club 'extremely angry' at vandals

Beachlands track maintenance manager Tony Duncan with a grader, one of three vehicles that had ...
Beachlands track maintenance manager Tony Duncan with a grader, one of three vehicles that had radiators holed. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.
Vandalism of several vehicles at Beachlands Speedway is expected to cost thousands of dollars to repair, outraging many at the Waldronville-based club.

An implement shed was broken into on Thursday night or Friday morning last week, and batteries were stolen from several race vehicles, a tractor and a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Someone also punctured the radiators in the vehicles, and a grader.

Beachlands Speedway secretary Paula Duncan said the damage to the grader radiator could cost more than $2000 to repair.

''We think that we're extremely lucky that our water truck was parked so close to the back of the shed, because they couldn't get around the front of the truck and do any damage to that as well.''

The club had had incidents in the past of batteries being stolen, she said.

''There was vandalism at the speedway several years ago when a toilet block was burnt down.''

Mrs Duncan said the vandalism had angered club members because it was costing the club money that it did not have.

The club hoped the damage would be covered by insurance, but even if it was, they were worried about the high excesses that would be involved in a claim.

''I'm gutted. We have to fundraise to get anything for the club. We work our fingers to the bone trying to keep this place running.

''We're extremely angry.

''Someone has taken their time to get all the way down the gravel road and climbed over fences to get in there and do some damage.''

Club members were scratching their heads about who was doing it, and why, she said.

Fortunately, the incident was not expected to delay any of the remaining races this season.

The club held an event on Saturday night, despite the ''extreme inconvenience''.

-john.lewis@odt.co.nz

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