Gold Coast Cycling Club down thousands of dollars after thieves ransack Nerang clubhouse
Junior members of a Coast cycling club have been left without bikes after callous thieves ransacked its headquarters.
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OFFICIALS of the Gold Coast’s biggest cycling club are still counting the cost of their losses after thieves ransacked their Nerang headquarters, taking thousands of dollars worth of equipment.
The Gold Coast Cycling Club has been the target of vandals and thieves who have been growing increasingly brazen over the past six months.
Matters became worse over the weekend when 10 fixed-gear track bikes — worth between $750 and $3000 each — and six junior bikes were taken along with the club’s long-range two-way radios.
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It comes after three motorbikes used for pacing – one less than 12 months old – were stolen at the start of the month.
The junior bikes were used by young riders who didn’t have their own and who now may be unable to participate.
The thieves also took two first-aid kits, needed to hold races.
GCCC president Dominique Verstreken said the theft was a huge blow to the volunteer-led club.
“We don’t know the damage or money figure as we are still counting the cost and doing inventory but it will hurt us,” Mr Verstreken said.
“We run a tight ship as it is and we have a lot of juniors coming through at the moment who we want to look after. It will set us back. We were going a long quite nicely until this.
“We had plans of buying a new van to take to open racing and for the juniors but that is on the back burner now by a long way. We have to forget about that for now.
“We will push ahead and rebuild.”
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The situation comes as the club begins finalising plans for the Gold Coast Junior Tour in April and Darren Smith Classic.
Mr Verstreken has already spoken to council, who own the land and facilities, about installing CCTV cameras.
“We have expressed concerns about security in the past,” Verstreken said.
“They have strengthened the doors around the canteen and tried to make them more secure.”
Mr Verstreken said security started to become an issue six months ago when vandals broke into the canteen multiple times, stealing drinks and more. It forced the club to remove a fridge from the building.
Police are investigating.
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