A popular social club has been targeted by vandals and thieves – only three months after it re-opened.
The Men’s Shed in Inverurie was recently renovated with a funding boost of £20,000.
But now vandals have stolen hundreds of pounds worth of tools and wrecked a polytunnel of plants and produce grown for the community and to raise funds.
One of the trustees of Inverurie and District Men’s Shed, Alistair Smith, said they had been targeted several times in the last month.
“The polytunnel has been badly vandalised so much so that we normally grow plants and vegetables to sell to the public to raise some funds but this will be difficult this year because of vandalism.
“Thus we are losing a few hundred pounds.
“Plants and vegetables within the polytunnel and the adjacent ground have been destroyed.
“In relation to the theft last week, all our gardening tools kept within the polytunnel have been stolen and it will take a considerable amount of money to replace them.”
Items stolen include spades, forks, rakes, hoes, shovels and some smaller tools.
Mr Smith went on: “Because the vandals tore a large hole in the polytunnel plastic, entry was obviously easy for the thieves. We had repaired a number of holes but every time the vandals returned – they simply made more damage.”
The polytunnel occupies the space behind the former Harlaw Day Centre on Harlaw Road which is due to be demolished.
It currently houses a small traveller encampment.
One of its residents yesterday commented that the “local kids come and cause this trouble – just so we get the blame.”
Inverurie councillor Colin Clark last night said: “I’m bitterly disappointed that this has happened. I hope that once the Harlaw Centre is demolished, probably in the summer, that we can fence-off the garden area for the Men’s Shed whilst we find them a more permanent site.”
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland confirmed inquiries were on going and said: “An incident of theft from a polytunnel on Harlaw Road, Inverurie has been reported to police.
“The incident is thought to have occurred sometime between Monday 13 March and 10am on Friday 17 march 2017. Tools valued at a low three figure sum were taken as a result.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101.