TOP STORY: Playground pests put kids at risk

Thieves and vandals are endangering people and costing Bay ratepayers thousands of dollars by wrecking public playgrounds.
The problem has escalated in the past fortnight - including the theft of a plastic slide from Moreland Fox Park in Greerton, and a playground climbing-frame at Cheynes Park in Pyes Pa being almost completely destroyed.
The council has to pay a security firm to patrol high-risk areas being hammered by predators.
Tauranga City Council reserves manager Geoff Canham said the security firm cost the council about $15,000 a year, although much of that was recovered from fines imposed on people caught damaging and taking property.
"We've had a lot of playground equipment wrecked and stolen right across the district in the past two weeks," he said. "It is really unusual behaviour and we can't quite work out why.
"We've had a huge spate of it."
Mr Canham said tampering with playground equipment was dangerous and could cause serious injury.
Past cases include an elderly couple badly injured when a park bench they were sitting on gave way after it was unbolted in an unsuccessful theft attempt. "They were very seriously injured. They broke bones."
The vandals were also placing youngsters at risk, he said. If two or more children went together down a slide that had been damaged they could be in danger.
Mr Canham said that while vandalism was always frustrating to deal with, he was at a loss as to why anyone would be inclined to pilfer a slide.
"You'd just end up with a 2m length of plastic," he said. "Unless they are a vital component in some home-brewing operation then what's the point?"
The cost to ratepayers was estimated at $30,000 a year - not including the $15,000 cost of hiring the security firm. Each slide costs about $200 but installation adds substantially to that figure.
Contract firm Excel Corporation has serviced playgrounds on behalf of the council for 12 years. Regional manager Bob Shaw said he had also noticed the recent rise in theft and vandalism.
"There's been an increase in the petty nuisance sort of behaviour like trying to set fire to equipment, loosening fittings, stealing items or even blowing them up," he said.
'Mr Shaw said brightly-coloured moulded plastic slides seemed to attract thieves. Park benches were also a favourite for light-fingered members of the public.
"The most expensive part about all this is that the equipment is often custom-made for size, shape and length to fit the specifications for each individual park." The company had one full-time employee inspecting 68 parks and playgrounds.
Excel asset safety inspector Jim Web said he was fed up with the mindless theft and vandalism. "Some stupid mongrel has come and smashed a seesaw seat at Anzac park a few days after it was put in."