Cops hunting trail vandal

By Jo Kennett

POLICE ARE on the hunt for a person or persons who dropped hundreds of tacks, nails and screws on the Northern Rivers Rail Trail last month.

Tweed Police released a statement late last week stating they have commenced an investigation into the incident which saw several people injured and a man in a wheelchair having to be dragged out of the trail.

Police said the incident happened on the Rail Trail between Murwillumbah and Crabbes Creek.

Community members and police have since recovered hundreds of tacks, nails and screws, believed to have been deliberately placed on the recently opened track.

Burringbar General Store owner Ben Storey said people were coming in with punctures in their bike tyres last month after people threw tacks on the trail.

“We had a disabled guy that was going on the trail for the first time and someone had thrown tacks on it,” Ben told The Weekly.

“He had flat tyres on his wheelchair and he couldn’t go anywhere and so they had to drag him and his wheelchair out.”

Tweed-Byron Police District Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Kehoe said those responsible may have underestimated the serious nature of the offence.

“We’ve had several reports of people injured, or children who have needed to push their bikes a number of kilometres due to flat tyres caused by tacks scattered over the track,” Det Ch Insp Kehoe said.

“This dangerous and disgraceful behaviour has impacted many members of our community and I’d urge anyone with information about the incident to contact Murwillumbah Police on (02) 6672 9499 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.” Information is treated in strict confidence.