Security has been ramped up at a Melton park following a spate of break-ins at the park’s sport and recreation clubrooms.
At last week’s council meeting, planning and development manager Luke Shannon said patrolling had been increased at the McPherson Park Recreation Reserve.
Between 4pm on November 1 and 4pm on November 11, thieves broke into the Melton Racing Pigeon Club and made off with a global positioning system, a television, fire extinguisher and soft drinks.
During the latest break-in at the Melton Gridiron Club, which has been targeted four times in as many weeks, a television was stolen overnight on Sunday, November 9.
A shipping container at the Dog Obedience Centre, inside the reserve, was broken into recently. Police say dog collars were stolen.
Detective Senior Sergeant Barry Jenks, of the Melton crime investigation unit, said police were appealing for witnesses.
“The park is in a really remote area,” he said.
“Because of the footy grounds, there are embankments that obscure the club buildings from the roads.”
He said the park was a popular hangout area for criminals and hoons, and he urged people to speak up if they saw suspicious activity.
“The clubs are just easy targets – [the offenders] know they’re not going to get a whole lot of riches, but they’ll find things like TVs, soft drinks, alcohol,” he said.
“It’s opportunistic crime rather than anything organised.”
