PAINT and cricket equipment to be used for a tribute to Phillip Hughes at the Wodonga Raiders ground today was destroyed by a deliberately lit fire last night.
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Wodonga CFA crews were alerted to a small blaze about 2.15am at the Marshall Street grounds, where they had to force entry through the securely locked gates.
Crews quickly contained the fire, which appears to have been sparked by someone setting alight equipment that had been left outside after yesterday’s training, including pitch rollers, hammer and pegs and field-marking paint.
The letters “FBO” were sprayed in white paint next to the fire.
Wodonga police Sgt Mick Bourke said a contact at the Raiders told police they had seen that tag spray-painted on the clubrooms before.
Sgt Bourke praised the “excellent work” of the CFA stopped the fire from spreading to the nearby clubrooms.
“The paint was to be used for a tribute to Phillip Hughes today, which makes it (the arson attack) all the more sickening,” he said.
“It doesn’t make any sense.
“It’s very costly for the Raiders.”
Sgt Bourke believed a group of youths may have been responsible as he couldn’t “think of anything else to motivate vandalism like this”.
There was a function at the clubrooms until 1am last night.
Anyone with any information that can help investigations should call Wodonga police, (02) 6049 2600 or Crime Stoppers, 1800 333 000.
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