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Vandals damaged new park equipment in less than a week.
LEETONIA -- Village officials want residents' help to stop vandalism in the village.
New picnic tables and trash cans placed at Wick Park June 20 were almost immediately vandalized, village Administrator Gary Phillips said.
"Too often we hear people say, 'I wish Leetonia had some new park equipment for the kids,'" he said. "We bought some and put some of it out. Already there is graffiti carved into one of the new handicap-accessible picnic tables, trash cans have holes punched in them, and benches are being used for skate board ramps."
Phillips said the village bought the picnic tables, benches and trash cans with state grants.
"The picnic table cost $500, and we don't think we can do anything about the graffiti because it's cut in deep," he said. "What they wrote isn't something you want to be looking at when you are at the park with your family."
Hesitant to add more
Phillips said there is more new equipment for the parks, purchased with the same grants, but he is hesitant to put it out.
"What a shame," he said. "The more we try to do to fix things up, the faster they work to destroy the improvements."
Police Chief John Soldano said police need residents to report the vandalism as it is happening. Callers don't have to give their names, he said.
"We don't have too many problems, but vandalism is going to happen in any community," Soldano said. "If someone calls quickly we have a chance to do something about it."
Phillips urged residents to call police at (330) 427-6731.
"This is about just a few people ruining things for everyone," Phillips said. "Let's work together to catch and prosecute them."