Thugs leave alarming messages on footpaths at Dandenong North park
Thugs have wreaked havoc through a Dandenong North park, leaving disturbing messages about children on footpaths as residents push for CCTV.
South East
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Thugs have wreaked havoc through a Dandenong North park, leaving alarming messages about children on footpaths.
Tirhatuan Park has been targeted by vandals at least three times over the past two weeks.
Signs, toilet blocks and fences were graffitied with rubbish left on benches.
Alarming sentences were sprawled across footpaths including “Your children will be slaves or worse”, “Kill the f---ers that are exploiting the sheep” and “Poli’s are going to die and so will their kid (sic).”
Whipped cream canisters used to inhale drugs were also found scattered throughout the park.
Dandenong North resident Kerrie Edwards said she was frustrated to see an increase in vandalism.
“There was a real absence of graffiti in Tirhatuan Park for a long time but recently things have changed,” she said.
“We saw one tag under the bridge at Stud Rd which included the words ‘I am back’ and since then we are seeing more over the last few weeks.”
Ms Edwards, who has lived in the area for 27 years, said it made her angry to see the park destroyed by thugs.
She said the council has been great with cleaning up the mess but said CCTV cameras needed to be installed to catch the offenders.
Greater Dandenong Council’s city planning, design and amenity director Jody Bosman said the council would undertake “proactive inspections” of the site in order to stay on top of the problem.
Mr Bosman said the park has additional lighting and open areas to allow casual surveillance from passers-by.
“These areas are continually being reviewed to improve their safety and accessibility,” he said.
“As part of this process council will review the approach at Tirhatuan Park.”
Mr Bosman said the council removed the graffiti and were working with police to “eradicate” the behaviour.
