The following article appeared in this week's Gazette:
More vandalism at soccer fields
Second act of vandalism at Seventh Street park
by Gabe Donio, Gazette Staff Writer
HAMMONTONDamage was done by vehicles to several fence posts and soccer fields at the Seventh Street Recreation Area, Hammonton Police Chief Frank Ingemi said. The vandalism was discovered by Officer Ken ONeil on February 4 at 9 a.m., Ingemi said. This incident is the second act of vandalism at the soccer fields. In December, four 21-foot aluminum soccer bleachers were stolen on the site. Track marks could be seen on the grassy area of the soccer fields and the dirt infields of the baseball fields earlier this week. Hammonton Highway Department workers were already replacing the fence posts that had been broken. Ingemi said patrols of the area are done on a regular basis, and would continue. We do a regular patrol of that area. It is kind of a secluded area but we have it on our patrols, Ingemi said. Councilman Sam Rodio said the town would not tolerate vandalism. If anyone is apprehended, they will be prosecuted to the fullest. It will not be tolerated. We have hundreds of kids on these fields. What would happen if this occurred when a child was still out there? Rodio said. ONeil is investigating the latest incident of vandalism, Ingemi said.
As a community, we need to keep our eyes and ears open. This destuction needs to stop. Someone knows something about the vandals and they need to come forward. This vandalism affects each and every one of us in diminished use of the facilities and higher taxes.
