Thieves target Stratford Bowls Club on New Year’s Eve

Heartless thieves stole beer and bourbon from a small Cairns bowling club on New Year’s Eve, but it was what they chose to leave behind that had a manager puzzled.

Heartless thieves stole beer and bourbon but left the champagne, gin and wine behind at a small bowling club on New Year’s Eve.

Stratford Bowls Club manager Sharon Dunkley said Great Northern beer, XXXX Gold and Jack Daniels were stolen between 6pm on December 31 and 8am on January 1.

It comes as police charged 44 people for 54 offences during the New Year’s Eve operation in what was generally a well behaved crowd.

“The greenskeeper was at the club at 8.15am on Sunday,” she said.

“I got a call at 8.30am, raced over and saw that our club’s deadlock and normal lock was jimmied and ruined.”

Inside, Ms Dunkley said the thieves damaged the 70-year-old club’s coolroom and bar fridges.

Stratford Bowls Club manager Sharon Dunkley said members are very disheartened” over the damage done during a NYE break-in which cost the club $500 worth of stolen beer and bourbon will coast of to repair broken locks, doors and refrigerators. Picture: Nuno Avendano

“They jimmied a steel bar with two padlocks and pulled the timber off around the fridges,” she said.

“I think they were stocking up for a party as they took $500 of alcohol.

“It’s quite unusual, they stole nothing but Great Northern beers, XXXX Gold and Jack Daniels and left all the Bundaberg premix, champagne, gin and wine and didn’t touch the crisps.”

Members of the Stratford Bowls Club are shocked and upset that thieves broke in to their clubhouse and stole more than $500 of beer and bourbon on New Year's Eve and caused considerable damage. Picture: Sharon Dunkley

But Ms Hinkley said the impact on club members had been devastating.

“They are devastated, it’s so awful, we are basically run by volunteers,” she said.

“Everyone has put in huge effort and dedication to getting our club looking fantastic and it just takes this to dishearten the local community, who feel our club is really important to them.”

Members of the Stratford Bowls Club are very upset after thieves smashed locks to gain access to their clubhouse and stole more than $500 of bourbon and beer on New Year's Eve. Picture: Sharon Dunkley

Ms Dunkley said police showed up about 15 minutes after they were called and have been “fantastic and very sympathetic”.

“They came and checked for fingerprints,” she said.

“We are investigating some resources to obtain CCTV evidence.

“While we were closed from Christmas Eve onwards, a local resident who walks their dog said there appeared to be no damage at 6pm on NYE.”

Heartless thieves broke into the Stratford Bowls Club and stole more than $500 of alcohol on New Year's Eve and caused considerable damage. Picture: Sharon Dunkley

The damage will cause the little club a lot of worry, she said.

“Now we have get the damage fixed including replacing the back door and get someone in to reseal the bar fridge,” she said.

“It’s a big blow because we use the bar to help with our fundraising.”

Members of the Stratford Bowls Club are shocked and upset that thieves broke in to their clubhouse and stole more than $500 of alcohol on New Year's Eve and caused considerable damage. Picture: Sharon Dunkley

Meanwhile, across town, Acting Superintendent Kevin Goan said police found most people on the Esplanade were well behaved at the NYE celebrations.

“We were quite happy with the conduct given the vast number of people in the community here to see the new year in,” he said.

Originally published as Thieves target Stratford Bowls Club on New Year’s Eve