A HORRIFIED couple had to move quickly to protect their grandson after finding large razor blades embedded in a playground climbing wall.
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The discovery at Myrtleford’s Cundy Park shocked police, who yesterday labelled the perpetrators “idiots”.
“It’s just crazy, stupid and reckless and we want to get the people who have done it,” Sgt Paul Evans said.
Six full-length boxcutter-type razor blades were found on the climbing wall.
“The blades were positioned so children climbing up a wall could have put their hands or feet on them, potentially causing numerous serious injuries,” Sgt Evans said.
Police were called to the park on Saturday at 1pm after they were notified by the grandparents of the boy, aged about 10.
The rest of the park was inspected by Bright’s Leading Sen-Constable Jason Hewitt but only the climbing wall was targeted.
Sen-Constable Hewitt said the boy found one blade on the ground.
“On closer inspection the grandparents have seen the other six blades on the climbing wall,” he said.
“They were positioned in behind the hand and foot grips.
“They weren’t disguised, they were just sitting there, but a little kid wouldn’t have known, obviously.
“Luckily it was a bigger kid who was the first one there.”
The couple immediately left with their grandson concerned there might be more unseen blades.
Sgt Evans said the incident was “an extremely low act” targeting the most vulnerable section of the community.
“Lots of kids play on it,” he said.
“The scary part is that any kid on that playground equipment could have sustained serious injuries.”
Sgt Evans said police “really would like to strike while it’s hot”.
“We’ve had a spate of damages on the same night where some businesses lost their windows,” he said.
He urged anyone with information to come forward, even if they wanted to remain anonymous.
“And then we’ll try to catch these idiots,” he said.
Sgt Evans said the blades would have been put there on Friday night or early Saturday.
“We lost about five windows from various businesses and a car rear window as well, someone smashed them all, between 1.35am and 1.55am on the same day,” he said.
Sgt Evans said he did not know whether the vandalism was linked to the razor blade incident “but it seems coincidental that the same sort of thing happens”.
“A number of business premises in Myrtleford’s main street had glass windows smashed by rocks and other items including a shopping trolley,” he said.
“A vehicle’s windscreen was smashed at a Duke Street residence and Myrtleford Memorial Hall’s glass doors were also smashed.”