Five public toilets had to be closed across the Macedon Ranges following significant damage caused by copper thieves.
The public toilets in Sankey Reserve, Gisborne; Ross Watt Reserve, New Gisborne; Campaspe Park, Woodend; Kyneton Botanic Gardens, Kyneton and Stanley Park, Macedon all had to be closed after copper pipes were stolen from the sites overnight on Tuesday, September 16.
Macedon Ranges council said the damage was significant, resulting in the mains water supply being cut off.
Director assets and operations Dom Testoni called the incidents disappointing, and said all thefts have been reported to police with council continuing to work with them closely to find those responsible.
“Copper theft causes significant damage to community infrastructure, often resulting in unnecessary costs to council and impacting valuable public services while repairs are carried out,” he said.
Mr Testoni said the toilets were repaired within a few days, with costs potentially running into the thousands of dollars.
“While we already have some security measures in place across council buildings, we will continue to explore measures to reduce vandalism such as improved design, lighting and monitoring, to ensure our facilities remain safe, clean and accessible for all residents and visitors,” he said.
If you have any information about the thefts, call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000. You can also report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au
