Katanning police plea for information on offenders who allegedly tore up Braeside Primary School oval twice

Police are looking for information after a Katanning primary school oval and country club were torn up by hoons who appear to have bogged themselves in the process. On the night of August 6, police say unidentified offenders drove on to the Braeside Primary School oval and Katanning Country Club, leaving behind tyre marks that tore up the carefully tended lawns. Braeside Primary School handyman and gardener Brenton Bouffler discovered doughnut marks and large chunks of torn-up dirt the next morning. Police said the same offenders then returned to the primary school on the night of August 7, leaving further damage that Mr Bouffler discovered on Thursday. The offenders also apparently bogged themselves on the second night, with police finding a makeshift ramp in a large puddle with tyre marks on either side. Car tyre tracks suggest the perpetrators entered the school from Carinya Gardens and drove through the carpark on to the oval, where they then damaged the lawn in the centre of the oval, around the goalposts, and along the sidelines. Sgt Luke Chantler said this type of crime was “unacceptable” and was usually a spur-of-the-moment decision influenced by a “pack mentality” and “peer pressure”. “It is completely unacceptable behaviour,” he said. “The Braeside oval affects children, and the country club is doing great things for our community.” “I don’t know why they do it when our speedway holds so many drag race events. “For those who also agree it’s unacceptable behaviour, please contact the Katanning police to aid in our ongoing investigation.” Braeside Primary School manager of corporate services Claire Collis said the school had suffered many break-ins over the years, and she believed it stemmed from teenage boredom. “Half the time the police know who it is, and half the time it’s kids so nothing happens,” she said. “It’s just really frustrating that our kids suffer because other people think it’s fun to destroy and vandalise. “We work at the school for the benefit of our kids, not to fix things like this up.” BGL Landscaping has given its labour for free to Braeside Primary School and the Katanning Country Club to help repair the damaged grass. If anyone has information, phone Katanning police on 9821 3800 or go into the police station on Clive Street West.