Having thousands of dollars worth of equipment stolen in one night is heartbreaking, according to Bathurst BMX Club president Michael Breen.
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The bunker at the club’s new BMX facility on the outskirts of Bathurst was broken into last week and more than $5000 worth of equipment was stolen.
The facility was closed because of recent wet weather so the theft wasn’t discovered until Thursday when Councillor Greg Westman went to check how the track had fared with all the rain.
Mr Breen said that because the local club is so small it takes a tremendous amount of fundraising and hard work to save up enough money to buy equipment.
“People with this mentality don’t care how hard it is for a little club to make a go of it,” he said.
“It was very disappointing.
“My family could notice the difference in me. I was so down.
“We are a small, hard-working group and any funds we raise go right back into the club. To have it taken from us is heartbreaking.
Mr Breen said the thieves took anything of value, including a new air compressor. The club’s old compressor was left behind.
“The air compressors are an integral part of the track itself,” Mr Breen said.
“The start gates work on air, and if we don’t run the gates we can’t hold club meetings.”
A transponder decoder was also stolen.
The bikes have transmitters to measure run times and the decoders convert the signal.
“It doesn’t look like much but it is another integral piece of equipment worth thousands of dollars,” Mr Breen said.
“Quite a number of hand tools, shovels, and electric leads were also stolen, along with two children’s BMX racing bikes.”
Mr Breen said children are given the bikes to ride so they can try out the sport.
The gate to the facility was bent out of shape when the thieves rammed it to gain access. The roller door to the bunker was also damaged.
A set of heavy steel gates were installed on the weekend in front of the roller door to add another layer of security. The club also has plans to install CCTV cameras.
Police are investigating the break-in.
In the meantime, the club has sent out a call for people to keep an eye out for the stolen items.
Phillip Martin, a club member for the past four years, went up to the track on Sunday to keep an eye on things.
He said that in addition to the expensive equipment, boxes of Powerade were stolen.
“They were very choosy about what they took,” he said.
“The stuff that was stolen was very specific.”
