Cricket Wanganui's pitch roller taken on a joy ride by vandals

Name: $30,000 damage to grounds
Uploaded: 2017-03-10T11:10:47+13:00
Duration: 133 s
Description: $30,000 damage to grounds and equipment at Victoria park cricket ground Parsons St, Whanganui.

By Liz Wylie

Whanganui Chronicle·

10 Mar, 2017 12:38 AM2 mins to read

$30,000 damage to grounds and equipment at Victoria park cricket ground Parsons St, Whanganui.

Cricket Wanganui's Dilan Raj and Dom Lock were devastated to see the scene awaiting them at their Victoria Park grounds on Friday morning.

A grass roller machine had been started up and crashed into the side of a building late on Thursday night.

"Police phoned me just after midnight to let me know that the roller had crashed into the building and was still running," said Mr Raj.

The late night visitors had managed to start the machine with a pair of scissors and driven it from the pavillion to the far side of the park.

They had then rammed it in to the building which is used by Wanganui Harriers.

The building sustained damage to the walls, a roller door and awning posts while the roller machine's cab was badly damaged.

Mr Raj said one initial estimate put the cost of righting the damage at $30,000.

A reward of $500 is offered for information leading to a conviction.

A hoodie was used to cover the light on top of the machine and scissors used to start it were being tested for DNA.

B Bullock & Co provided the roller machine to Cricket Wanganui at a reduced rate, for the duration of the cricket season.

"Bullocks do a lot of good things for the community and someone goes and does this to their equipment," said Mr Raj.

Bullock's representative Jason Bullock, said he thought the roller was repairable.

"We should be able to repair the cab but we won't really know until we get it in to the workshop and have a proper look at it."

Mr Bullock said the damage to the machine would not affect the company's willingness to support the club.

"The community need businesses to help them out.

"We lose road cones and signs all the time and we just have to write it off.

"This damage is of a more serious nature but it won't affect our commitment to help."

With the cricket season final coming up, club members said they were relieved there was no damage to the number one pitch where the semi-final game between United and Weraroa was scheduled for Saturday afternoon.