Plug pipe thefts

By Melissa Meehan
FOOTBALLERS in the Yarra Valley have been forced to have cold showers after local clubrooms were targeted in the latest trend in copper thefts.
Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League (YVMDFL) CEO Steve Walter said more than half a dozen clubs had been affected by the thefts.
He said theft of copper piping at clubrooms had risen in the past few weeks and had forced clubs to spend hundreds of dollars on capping to reinforce the pipes.
“Clubs including Wandin, Woori Yallock, Kilsyth, Silvan and Mt Evelyn have been affected,” Mr Walter said.
“Some pipes had the water and gas turned off before being stolen and others were just cut off.”
He said a club in Kilsyth was left with a gas leak after the thefts.
Mr Walter said players were affected by the thefts as they could not have hot showers after their games and some kitchens and canteens were forced to close.
“It not only affects players and club members but it is a significant cost to the community,” Mr Walter said.
Woori Yallock Football Club president Phil Martin said that the clubrooms had been targeted twice in the past months.
“It has cost the shire about $2000 each time,” Mr Martin said.
He said football clubs were not the only sporting clubs being targeted.
“The squash centre was hit on the same night and the police were notified immediately on both occasions,” Mr Martin said.
A plumber himself, Mr Martin said that it would have taken the thieves less than five minutes to strip down the copper piping.
“The copper they took would only be worth about $80 so I can’t understand why they would take it,” Mr Martin said.
He said that friends and families at the club were keeping an eye out for any further thefts. “The thefts have been very inconvenient,” Mr Martin said.
“I hope they catch the mongrels.”
Wandin Football Club president Ian Iedema said that gas piping was stolen from his clubrooms.
“We had no use of the kitchen or hot showers on Thursday night,” Mr Iedema said.
League CEO Steve Walter said that surveillance had been stepped up at local grounds and warned members of the public to keep an eye out for suspicious people hanging around clubrooms.
Community relations manager for the Shire of Yarra Ranges James Martin said the thefts not only affected clubs but also the local residents.
“These thefts cost ratepayers money and create frustration and disappointment in the community,” Mr Martin said.
Yarra Junction police have called on members of the public who have information about the copper thefts to contact them.
Sergeant Kevin Largue said that the increase in thefts correlates with the rising price of metals.
“Copper theft is a problem state wide, even nation wide,” Sgt Largue said.
“We will be increasing patrols around football clubs in an attempt to curb the thefts.”