CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Chesterfield police are looking for the vandals responsible for damaging the property of a youth athletic league twice in a month.
The Providence Athletic Association told 8News that thousands of dollars worth of equipment is stored inside a shed located behind Providence Elementary School.
On the night of May 18, 2023, someone ripped the paneling off of the shed and broke the lock with the intent to break in.
“I could not believe it because, in the two years that I’ve been president of the association, nothing like this has ever happened,” said Anika Nero, Providence Athletic Association president. “The shed is on school grounds. This is a great neighborhood. So total shock.”
The community came together following this incident to repair what was damaged.
“The metal where we actually close the lock and secure the shed was damaged. It just looked like there was an attempt to break it to get in,” said Nero.
Staff decided to install motion-sensored lights to deter the criminals from coming back.
“If there was any movement around here, a red light would come on and it would appear to be recording the individual,” Nero told 8News. “We figured that would deter anyone from coming back to try to break in.”
This attempt did not work. Less than a week later someone came back and caused even more damage. Nero said she wants to know who would do something like this.
“We’re just hoping that it won’t happen again because we have over $10,000 worth of equipment and supplies that are stored here,” she said.
Anyone with information can contact Chesterfield police.
