Bad sports target club – again

– Melissa Donchi
THIEVES have targeted the Warburton Millgrove Sporting Complex again, this time breaking two windows in order to make off with a couple of slabs of Jim Beam.
It’s the fifth burglary in eight months for the beleaguered sportsclub, despite having recently upgraded its security.
Senior Constable Ben Aulich from Yarra Junction said the thieves broke into the club just before 3am last Tuesday, 3 July.
“A car registration seen near the recreation reserve has been obtained from a stolen Nissan Skyline,” Sen Const Aulich said.
“Lilydale police night shift and Croydon Crime Unit also attended the incident and we’re currently making inquiries.”
Warburton Millgrove Sports Club secretary Rob Morter said the building was seen as an easy target.
“Obviously these people see us as a soft spot because other people have got away with it in the past,” Mr Morter said.
“There are other targets in the town, but none have been hit as hard as us in the past few months.”
Warburton Golf Club president Mike Dobson said thieves had cost his club thousands of dollars. “We’re still waiting for invoices to come through. At the moment its around $4000,” Mr Dobson said.
“We’ve had to replace hundreds of dollars worth of stock and upgrade our security system as well.”
The Shire of Yarra Ranges said it was now considering a request from the Warburton Millgrove Sporting Complex to contribute to the cost of purchasing a closed circuit TV system.
The club currently has a back-to-base monitored alarm and has recently installed light sensors to the outside of the building.
“We’re doing everything we can to keep the premises safe and secure,” Mr Morter said.
“But clearly more needs to be done.”