• Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Win drought ends for Langy
  • Brown has another talented stayer on his hands
  • Pythons win a close one, Kangaroos clear on top
  • An update on activities in Balnarring
  • Morris calls on Wynne to ‘end’ Ryman application
  • Happy finish to greyhound’s run
  • Prom catch threat to bays’ whiting
  • Experts fancy strait flight for parrots
Facebook Twitter
MPNEWSMPNEWS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
MPNEWSMPNEWS
Home»Latest News»Mt Martha bathing boxes hit by vandals
Latest News

Mt Martha bathing boxes hit by vandals

By Stephen TaylorOctober 5, 2015Updated:October 5, 2015No Comments2 Mins Read
Wilful damage: Mt Martha bathing box owners Derek and Wendy Leong count the cost as carpenter Iain Proudfoot makes repairs. Picture: Yanni
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email
Wilful damage: Mt Martha bathing box owners Derek and Wendy Leong count the cost as carpenter Iain Proudfoot makes repairs. Picture: Yanni
Wilful damage: Mt Martha bathing box owners Derek and Wendy Leong count the cost as carpenter Iain Proudfoot makes repairs. Picture: Yanni

GANGS of youths drinking and carousing on Mt Martha beach broke into and damaged 33 bathing boxes overnight, 21 September.

Planks and panels from the boxes were stripped off to fuel bonfires and beach chairs and furniture was stolen and later burnt or smashed.

Police said three separate gangs – from Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula – caused thousands of dollars damage in the night-long spree.

They said many box owners would be unaware of the damage until they visited or heard from neighbours.

“It coincided with the school holidays,” Detective Senior Sergeant Nick Vallas said. “We know that lots of people saw the kids sitting around the bonfires but, strangely, no one reported the matter at the time.”

The hardest hit area was South Beach, on The Esplanade. “Some boxes were just broken into while others had their furniture thrown onto the fires,” he said.

“Others were quite substantially damaged.”

Mt Martha bathing box owner-of nine-years Wendy Leong said vandal damage to the boxes was “par for the course”.

“We had been lucky to miss out so far, but the other weekend they broke the seat on the veranda and other timber work.

“They used a jemmy to force open the door and rip off cupboards on the outside. It was just wilful damage.

“We found fine glass all over the veranda which would be very dangerous for our grandchildren.”

A teenage girl’s brush, comb and purse found later were handed in to police.

Mrs Leong said a neighbour next morning saw two young couples sitting on their stolen deck chairs who said they “didn’t intend to do damage”.

“Our box sustained a $400 repair bill but others were much more,” she said.

“It’s the inconvenience of having to organise repairs and get someone down to do it that’s irritating.”

First published in the Mornington News – 6 October 2015

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Budget payout for MP’s decade of lobbying

May 17, 2022

No guaranteed happy returns for campers

May 16, 2022

Car-sleepers rise amid housing crisis

May 16, 2022

Pier fears relaxed by budget’s $1.5m

May 10, 2022
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Weather
May 20, 2022 - Fri
Mornington, Australia
13°C
few clouds
few clouds
0 m/s, ESE
60%
774.82 mmHg
fri05/20 sat05/21 sun05/22 mon05/23 tue05/24
scattered clouds
14/11°C
sky is clear
12/10°C
sky is clear
13/11°C
few clouds
12/11°C
sky is clear
14/10°C
Peninsula Essence Magazine

Click here to read

April 27, 2022
Peninsula Kids Magazine

Click here to read

March 2, 2022
Council Watch

Shire offers $500,000 to performing arts

May 2, 2022

Mayor claims record in trust appointment

April 26, 2022
Elections 2022

Shire accused of being off track with pledges

May 17, 2022

Security takes precedence

May 17, 2022

Liberals slide as independents climb

May 17, 2022
Interview

Volunteers track koalas for science

May 2, 2022
Property of the Week

278 Dundas Street, Rye

May 11, 2022
100 Years Ago This Week

An update on activities in Balnarring

May 17, 2022
Contact
Street: 63 Watt Road, Mornington, 3931
Mailing: PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook Twitter
© 2022 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.