‘Lockdown boredom’ sees Kent club vandalised again

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir March 26, 2021 07:54

Greenkeepers at a Kent golf club that has seen a spate of vandalism activity in recent months have found buggies abandoned on the course again.

Vandals broke into Whitstable and Seasalter Golf Club, cut a thick metal rope that attaches the buggies together and drove one of them into a dyke. Another golf car was also taken.

Andy Selwood, a director at the club, said: “They must have used a tool like a bolt cutter to cut through that.

“They’ve obviously gone down with the intention of doing it. It’s just annoying really.

“The buggies have a little box which has been smashed off, and they’ve somehow hot-wired the thing to start it.”

Another buggy was found abandoned on the green.

According to Kent Online, the club has fallen victim to a string of similar incidents in recent months.

“One time last year they stole another buggy and threw that into the ditch in much the same way,” said Selwood.

“And they stole a buggy which was found up in Whitstable by a member of the public.”

Just before Christmas, vandals smashed up heavy wooden patio furniture that was positioned outside the site’s new clubhouse.

“A memorial bench with someone’s name on it got damaged – just jumped up and down on and broken,” he said.

Image from Twitter

“There are chairs and tables that are bolted together, and some of those were smashed.

“They’d have had to try really hard to damage the furniture as it’s really heavy.”

In December, a brand-new window at the clubhouse was also broken, and cost about £700 to replace.

Selwood puts the vandalism down to “lockdown boredom”.

But he says the actions have a knock-on effect for club members.

“The club is a facility used by local people of all ages, and is a green space in our town,” he said. “It’s a local club, and they’re just local people – not all millionaires.

“I think we can repair the damage – it’s just going to take somebody quite a long time to do it.

“Hopefully when people are there a bit later on in the evening, it will deter people from doing this kind of thing.”

Anyone with information should call Kent Police on 01843 222289 quoting 46/46479/21.

 

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir March 26, 2021 07:54
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2 Comments

  1. PGA Director March 29, 12:07

    Security personnel and cameras???

    Reply to this comment
  2. Neil F March 26, 14:36

    Crazy people, not easy for every one in these extremely strange times.

    Good luck when you open up

    Reply to this comment
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