by Adam Williams
awilliams@thekmgroup.co.uk

THIEVES targeting precious metals and copper have struck again at sports facilities in the district.
Less than 24 hours after changing rooms were stripped bare at Whitstable Town’s Belmont Ground last week, Victoria Recreation Ground in Canterbury was vandalised in the same way.
Pipework and a boiler were ripped out of the pavilion alongside Knight Avenue overnight on Thursday and Friday.

Serco, which maintains and manages the pitches and changing facilities at Victoria Rec on behalf of Canterbury City Council is still counting the cost of the damage.
The pavilion remains out of service until the damage can be repaired.

Dozens of junior and senior sides were forced to find other grounds for their weekend fixtures.
Sunday league side Northgate Rangers had their game moved across town to Thanington Recreation Ground, but wet weather meant the match was postponed.

Club secretary Tony Payne says the side now faces a fixture back-log in the remaining weeks of the season.
He said: “It’s shameful that people would stoop to do something like this.
“The city council’s been working so hard recently to get more people active in the run up to the Olympics and this is a huge kick in the teeth.”

Canterbury and District League secretary Bill Clark added: “Sadly there’s a lot of hard-up people out there at the moment. If you can break in to an unsecured place, then there’s easy money to be made.”

Anyone with information about the break-in is urged to contact PC Nicholas Webb on 01622 690690 quoting crime report number 3128.