Lake Pertobe patrons have been warned to be vigilant and keep an eye out for broken glass after more than 100 bottles were smashed at the children’s playground.
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Warrnambool City Council staff picked up glass from the alcohol bottles after a vandalism spree on Friday night. Up to 15 people were involved in the incident.
Council is working with police to investigate and identify the people responsible using CCTV footage.
Assets co-ordinator John Finnerty said staff were called in early on Saturday morning to clean up the damage.
“Throwing and breaking glass bottles in a children’s play area is irresponsible and reckless,” Mr Finnerty said. “Our staff have done their absolute best to pick up all of the thousands of glass shards, but it only takes one to cause someone a pretty nasty injury.
“Perhaps the most disappointing part was that as well as bottles being thrown in the toilets and the barbecue areas, they were also deliberately smashed in the water areas where children play.
“Unfortunately, I’d have to ask that everyone, especially parents, be extra vigilant of any pieces of glass at Lake Pertobe.”
Alcohol is only allowed to be consumed at Lake Pertobe from 11am-2pm and 4pm-10pm each day.
Mr Finnerty said that while a ban on glass had been suggested in the past, it would not stop incidents occurring.
“This is a disgraceful act of vandalism,” he said. “Most people using Lake Pertobe do the right thing and leave it clean and tidy,” he said.
“In recent years council has worked much more closely with police and security to regularly patrol the Lake Pertobe and foreshore precincts, and thankfully incidents like this are rarer than they used to be.”
Mr Finnerty urged anyone with information to contact Warrnambool police on 5560 1333 and if anyone saw any anti-social behaviour in the future to contact police immediately.
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