Scout leader Daniel Cottrell with his sons, Peter (left) and Timothy. Photo / Grace Odlum
Scout leader Daniel Cottrell with his sons, Peter (left) and Timothy. Photo / Grace Odlum
When night falls, Kaitawa Reserve in Paraparaumu is plunged into darkness due to a lack of lights – and sometimes thieves take advantage of that.
The Paraparaumu Scout Group’s den is in a dark corner of the reserve and on Saturday night it was targeted by thieves looking for valuables.
The offenders removed the wooden bollard from the top entrance so they could gain access to the park from Kaitawa Cres then drove down through the park towards the den, Scout leader Daniel Cottrell said.
They didn’t take much – just the den’s outside tap which Cottrell said the thieves would have assumed was copper, 7-9 metres of copper piping from under the hall, and a waste pipe.
“It’s very inconvenient and very annoying. We’re not rich – [the Scouts] fund with their fundraising.”
With the tap missing, water was left pouring out for 12 hours and Cottrell said their plumber told them a cubic metre of water would have been wasted each minute.
“We’re not looking forward to having that bill come in.”
The theft meant the Scout group would be down a significant amount of money with having to pay a plumber and higher water charges.
Daniel Cottrell and his sons, Peter (left) and Timothy, outside the Paraparaumu Scout Group's den. Photo / Grace Odlum
Cottrell said they would have to either apply for grants or do extra fundraising to cover the costs.
“We have also had to cancel the community group that uses the hall.”
This wasn’t the first time the Scouts’ den had been targeted – they have had their dummy camera and security lights smashed, graffiti done on the walls, and people have tried to break into the front door.
Cottrell has been a Scout leader in Paraparaumu for 11 years and his two children, Timothy and Peter, have grown up in the den, so it was especially devastating for them.
“This is like our second home.”
Cottrell was adamant the Scouts would not leave the reserve, regardless of the thefts.
“We’re here to stay and we love our park.”
Despite the theft, the Scouts are still looking forward to Anzac Day when they will sleep in the den the night before and get up about 5am before marching with a flag down to Tutanekai St.
