Thefts a bit hit for club

GRAFTON Dragon Boat Club wants the people of the Clarence Valley to join around 62,000 people around Australia in the search for three portable gazebos.

Grafton Dragon Boat Club is shocked by the loss of three gazebos. Photo Leigh Jensen / The Daily Examiner. Picture: Leigh Jensen

GRAFTON Dragon Boat Club wants the people of the Clarence Valley to join around 62,000 people around Australia in the search for three portable gazebos that went missing from its clubhouse last month.

Club president Martin Thompson said news of the thefts, which the club only discovered recently, had been posted on the Dragon Boats Australia Facebook page, which had 62,000 members.

Mr Thompson said the biggest of the three gazebos had a big Grafton Dragon

Boats Club logo on it and another had NRMA Roadside Assistance all around the skirting.

"We've let everyone know on Facebook so they'll be keeping their eyes open and we would like everyone in the Clarence Valley to do the same," Mr Thompson said.

He said the club had last used the gazebos at its final regatta of the year in November and locked them away in its shed.

"A couple of members had noticed the biggest of the gazebos was missing, but we thought someone had borrowed it for Christmas," Mr Thompson said.

However, a more detailed inspection soon after revealed three of the club's five gazebos was missing.

"We thought something was a big odd, because the door of the shed had become stuck and we had to wiggle and wobble it to get it open," he said.

"We had a bit of rope attached to a cross-bar we used to open the roller door and when we pulled on it, it sprang open."

Mr Thompson said thefts like this dented one's faith in humanity.

"The club raises money for charities to help cancer research," he said.

"The money we raise from events like our Jacaranda Regatta goes to charities like the prostate cancer research group or the Men's Shed."

Mr Thompson said the club had offered to help out the Clarence Valley Dragon Boat Club at its next regatta.

"They're not so well equipped as we are, so we were going to let them use some of our gear," he said.

"But we won't be able to lend them three gazebos now."

He said the club was fortunate its equipment was insured, but the loss would still impact on the club.

"It takes time to process the claim and you have to buy in the new equipment," he said.

Originally published as Thefts a bit hit for club