Are criminals stealing the Oval Track from the community?

Lining up, the racers brace themselves for an adrenaline filled event. The roaring engines drown out the cheering spectators. The light turns green and they are off. Tearing through the track, the racers set their sights on the win.

Yet, despite the high-octane fun that Newcastle Raceway promises, it seems the Oval Track is literally being stolen. This comes after a recent burglary, where the club sustained substantial damage to its property.

“Last year, we erected a new fence around the Oval Track. But, it was stolen,” explains Boet Buys from the Oval Track. With no perimeter fence protecting the sports club, the committee had no choice but to replace it.

“We put an older fence up. However, the poles are now being stolen,” he sighed. Yet, it seems the criminal element is not satisfied with mere fencing and poles. Over the past weekend, a carport and a tap were stolen.

“The structure was taken, and it was found in pieces at a local scrapyard,” Buys said. The steel was apparently cut into such small pieces, that it cannot be salvaged and reused.

This recent theft is but one over the past year, leaving committee members pulling at their hair. “We don’t hold the Oval Track just for us. We hold it for the community, giving them some entertainment. It is also something for children to enjoy.”

What concerns Buys is the efficiency that went into the theft. “These people are professionals. They have tools to remove everything. And to have cut the steel at the carport, they must have generators,” he explained.

While it is uncertain how much cash the perpetrators will make from the stolen steel, the Oval Track will have to repair the damage. “We try our best to keep the entrance fee low, and this happens. To repair the recent damage, we are looking at an estimated R6 000,” he explained dejectedly.

Anyone with information regarding the theft, can report it at  at Newcastle SAPS.