Vandals damaged a soda vending machine at the Farmers Market Pavilion at the Beaver Dam Park overnight. (Photo by Dustin Bratcher/OC Monitor)
By Lee Bratcher / OC Monitor
BEAVER DAM, Ky. — The City of Beaver Dam is hoping the public will help catch a vandal, or vandals, who tried to break into a soft drink machine at the Beaver Dam Park. This being the latest in a long line of vandalism since the park opened.
According to the Beaver Dam, Kentucky, Facebook page, sometime last night, a person, or people, tried to break into a soft drink machine at the Beaver Dam Community Farmers Market Pavilion. It appears a cutting torch, or similar equipment, was used in the crime. No money was taken, but the machine was damaged.
A cutting torch of some sort was used to cut through the metal front panel of the machine. (Photo by Dustin Bratcher/OC Monitor)
This incident is just the latest in a long line of vandalism at the Beaver Dam Park mostly focused on the Farmers Market Pavilion and the restrooms.
In May of 2013, the women’s restroom was vandalized with beer bottles and trash strewn all over the floor. Someone even defecated in one of the sinks. In July of 2013, again, the women’s restroom was vandalized, as someone ripped a sink off the wall. In April of 2014, vandals again struck the women’s restroom by leaving sink faucets running over the weekend and flushing articles of clothing in the toilets. Those examples are but a few of the many incidents of vandalism at the Beaver Dam Park leading up to last night’s vandalism.
From the Beaver Dam, Kentucky Facebook page:
“The City has gone to great lengths and has spent a lot of money to provide facilities for the enjoyment of our citizens. There have also been a number of incidents of vandalism at the restrooms at the Pavilion in the past including breaking sinks off the wall, clogging up toilets and smearing human waste on walls (talk about sick!). The City receives a number of comments that there is nothing to do for kids and young people. The City is trying to do what they can with the park and events and this is the thanks they get. If we as a community want government and private industry to invest in our community and bring in the amenities we would like to have, we are going to have to do better than this. Let’s come together as a community and show these trouble makers we won’t tolerate it!”
Mayor Paul Sandefur is “disappointed” by the continued vandalism and has offered a reward leading to the arrest and conviction of last night’s vandals.
“I am really disappointed that someone has such disregard for property of others. A lot of people have put in a lot of hard work and spent a lot of money to have things in our community. For someone to just go in and destroy it just blows the mind,” Sandefur said. “Someone out there knows who did this and we need your help. I am personally offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Enough is enough!”
If you have any information on last night’s vandalism or any other incident of vandalism at the Beaver Dam Park, call the Beaver Dam Police Department at 270-274-7106.