Police hot on trail of Cape Paterson toilet vandals

A DISTURBING spate of vandalism at Cape Paterson, in the early hours of Saturday morning, September 16, which shapes as a targeted attack, has raised the hackles of local police.

According to Wonthaggi Police Sergeant, Scott Morison, vandals have set fire or otherwise damaged the three public toilets in the town, putting them out of action at the start of the spring school holidays.

They’ve also smashed windows at the Wonthaggi Surf Lifesaving Club.

And along the way, in what police believe is a related incident, they’ve also damaged cars in the vicinity of the Cape Paterson foreshore.

“It is particularly disturbing that we’ve got people with nothing better to do than go around damaging facilities put there for the use of the community and visitors, while also damaging a community facility used in the main by surf lifesaving volunteers,” said Sgt Morison.

Sgt Morison said it appeared that the opportunist vandals had used available materials, including toilet paper and rubbish to start the fires, rather than any accelerant.

But they have succeeded in causing thousands of dollars damage to community-owned facilities.

A unit of the Wonthaggi CFA Brigade turned out on Saturday evening, reporting damage to every toilet in the block in the First Surf Carpark, a burnt bin in front and damage to two other toilet blocks, at the boat ramp and the surf club.

The town is effectively out of public toilets for the school holidays, unless the Bass Coast Shire Council can make some temporary arrangements.

Police have recovered CCTV footage from various locations around the town but are also appealing to the pubic who may have private CCTV footage, dashcam footage or who may have seen suspicious behaviour in Cape Paterson around 3am last Saturday morning, to call Wonthaggi Police on (03) 56714100 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au