‘They don’t understand’: Cairns Hockey Association’s plea to alleged thieves
The manager of a Far North sports club, which has been broken into for the second time in two weeks, has pleaded for the alleged thieves to try out a community sport to understand the impact of their actions.
Cairns
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cairns. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The manager of a Far North sports club, which has been broken into for the second time in two weeks, has pleaded for the alleged thieves to try out a community sport to understand the impact of their actions.
The Cairns Hockey Association on Lake Street was allegedly broken into and ransacked by a group of five intruders on Sunday night, according to office manager Jodie Dennis.
“They came in looking for money and have gone through all the tills and boxes and when they’ve found no money, that’s when they’ve gone into the alcohol fridges and loaded up with as much as they possibly can,” Ms Dennis said.
“The whole facility’s locked but they’re somehow getting through the fence, smashing the glass doors in the bar with a rock that’s so enormous, it’s damaged the lino flooring.”
Ms Dennis said the destruction was a blow not only to the association, but the multi-sport precinct.
“I haven’t gotten to speak with the pool and tennis people yet, but I do know they’ve been targeted quite a bit in recent years as well,” she said.
Ms Dennis said it was somewhat fortunate the incident happened during the “in-between” season.
“We’re on an in-between season break at the moment, so competitions don’t start until Wednesday,” she said.
The bar area has been cleared up and temporary doors have been installed.
“We have a facility crew here that work really hard to maintain it because it’s a big facility and expensive to run,” she said.
Despite the damage, Ms Dennis said she hoped the group responsible would join a community sport to understand the impact of their actions.
“It’d be good if they could come and see, not just us, but other sports places that seem to get targeted and be a part of it, so they can understand how difficult it is for everyone having to fork out these costs,” she said.
“They don’t understand what it is to be part of community sport.”
The neighbouring International Tennis Centre has been the target of repeated break-ins in recent years, including three times in the space of a week in late September.
There, thieves have repeatedly stolen alcohol as part of their late-night heists.
More Coverage
Originally published as ‘They don’t understand’: Cairns Hockey Association’s plea to alleged thieves
‘He’s the one who stabbed him’: Witness identifies boy she says stabbed 17yo
A young woman has identified the defendant in a murder trial as the boy she believed fatally stabbed 17-year-old Jayden Dau at a party in Far North Queensland.
‘Imagine if they hit my eye’: Seven kids in custody after slingshot attack
Police have taken seven kids into custody following the alleged theft of slingshots and the shooting of a public bus passenger with a ball bearing. See pictures of the damage.