Police searching for teenage thugs on electric bikes who trashed Gold Coast park

A community leader has blasted a group of ‘selfish gronks that spoil it for others’ after residents were forced to chase off teen thugs on e-bikes. Read what happened.

Police are searching for a group of teenage thugs on e-bikes who vandalised a park just weeks before it was set to host community Christmas carols.

Area councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden described those responsible as “selfish gronks”.

He said residents had reported chasing away a group of teens aged 14 to 17 riding e-bikes in Abbott Park, Parkwood, Tuesday night.

Vandalism at Abbott Park, Parkwood.

The next morning residents woke to find fences knocked over, tyre marks and freshly laid turf that had been torn up.

Cr Bayldon-Lumsden said it could not have come at a worse time, with the park undergoing a $1.08m upgrade ahead of the Parkwood Family Christmas Carols on November 26.

The event will go ahead as planned despite the damage.

Cr Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden at Abbott Park in Parkwood. Picture: Tertius Pickard

“It’s just disappointing that someone could do this when finally an upgrade is happening in a park that’s deserved it for a long time,” he said.

He described the vandals on social media as “selfish gronks that spoil it for others”.

A police spokeswoman said officers were called to the park about 4.50pm Wednesday.

“Police attended and patrolled the area but were unable to locate the offenders. Investigations continue,” she said.

Vandalism at Abbott Park, Parkwood.

Phase one of the Abbott Park improvement plan includes the delivery of a toilet block, footpath connection, full-size basketball court, learn to ride track and power connection up grade to host community events.

It is expected minor works will be finished by the end of the year, with the first phase to be complete by mid-2023.

Originally published as Police searching for teenage thugs on electric bikes who trashed Gold Coast park