Gerringong beset by spate of vandalism

KATINA CURTIS

A RECENT spate of vandalism in Gerringong has led to calls for more policing of the area.

The manager of the Werri Beach Holiday Park said vandals had attacked the park several times in the past six weeks.

John Broadfoot said this included smashing lights, cutting nozzles off fire hoses and pulling power cords out of caravans, including one occupied by someone with sleep apnoea who needed an oxygen machine running during the night.

He had reported all the incidents to police, but thought the simple solution was to have more patrols.

A week after the destruction of one green at Gerringong Golf Club, as reported in the Kiama Independent on September 5, a second green was seriously damaged, which club president Ian Woodlands said would cost about $5000 to fix, on top of the $30,000 for the original damage.

He said the club was considering holding a fundraising day in the next eight weeks.

A number of shops on Fern Street, including Scoops Ice Creamery and the recently opened Cherry Red Home and Living, have had windows smashed and exterior shop fittings destroyed during the past couple of weekends.

Roy Schmidt, the owner of Scoops, said it was upsetting to see profit disappearing into bills for vandalism.

But he said it was more important that the community be made fully aware of the extreme level of vandalism occurring in Gerringong.

Bill Popple, from Gerringong Neighbourhood Watch, said the police had reported a number of other incidents in recent months, including the destruction of the public toilets at Werri Beach.

In July, more than 30 letterboxes between Mt Pleasant and Toolijooa were destroyed in one night.

Mr Popple said there had been more patrols of the area since Sergeant David Wheatley started working at the Kiama Police Station.

Mayor Sandra McCarthy said she wanted a proper police station set up in Gerringong, as the government intended a decade ago.

The council had provided space for a temporary station in the Old School Park and then the town hall on the understanding that the police would eventually build their own station.