By Lia Bichel
TROPHIES were broken, equipment was stolen and spirits were crushed during a raid on a charity football club’s storage room on the weekend.
About $4400 worth of equipment was stolen from a shipping container used by the MIDDWAY Cobras who participate in the RecLink competition.
The team operates under Eastern Region Mental Health Association (ERMHA), and aims to give disadvantaged people across the City of Casey an opportunity to play football at the low cost of $2 a game to cover the washing of the jumpers.
Gary Lambert has been coaching the team since it began 12 years ago. The team consists of 25 players, men and women, aged 16 to 60.
He was notified by a club member on Sunday that the shipping container at Reid Oval, Oak Avenue, in Doveton was broken into and equipment was stolen including 16 footballs, 12 drink bottles, exercise equipment, a barbecue, first aid kits and football boots.
Mr Lambert said he was disgusted that someone or a group of people would steal from the team.
“When I saw that all the equipment was gone, premiership trophies were smashed and memorial trophy was thrown across the shipping container, I was gutted,” Mr Lambert said.
“I have notified some of the players and everyone is shattered. We are supposed to start training in three weeks time, but I don’t know what we are going to do. We only have three footballs, which are not in the best condition.”
Mr Lambert said this was the second blow to the team in a year.
Last year, the Casey Council told the team that after 10 years, they were unable to store their equipment in the club rooms, and instead could use a shipping container organised by the council, but the team would need to pay rent for it.
“I wasn’t too impressed,” Mr Lambert said.
“We were allowed to have our stuff in there for so long, then another football club came along and we were put on the back burner.”
Mr Lambert said he was determined to get the players practising and ready for the next season, but hoped the community would lend some support.
Anyone wanting to help the team can contact Gary Lambert on 0425 763 072 or Denise at ERMHA on 9706 7388.
Anyone with information about the theft is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Narre Warren police station on 9705 3111.
