For the second time in six months, major pieces of equipment have been stolen from the Spruce City Men's Fastball Association's facility.
When association president Peter Ghostkeeper dropped by the SCMFA ballpark in Carrie Jane Gray Park on Wednesday afternoon, he noticed the lock for the lime shed lying on the ground. He looked inside and discovered the lawn tractor and trailer had gone missing.
The items date back to the late 90's and Ghostkeeper estimated the tractor's value at just $800 but for the SCMFA it's a lot of money.
"We're on a limited budget," Ghostkeeper said.
The lock and latch were protected by a metal tube but it appears that was not enough to prevent someone from finding a way to snap the lock's bolt.
In April, a long list of electronics - the receiver for the park's scoreboard as well as two speakers, a mixer board and amplifier, a microphone and 40 feet of microphone cable, two parts of a radio and a vacuum cleaner - were stolen from the announcer's booth behind the backstop.
None of those items have been recovered but thanks to a donation, a replacement system was in place in time for the Canadian Native Fastball Championships this past summer.
Whoever was behind the latest theft could have made off with a lot more, Ghostkeeper said, if the step of removing an array of power equipment had not been taken out after the season ended.
The tractor is a grey-black Mastercraft with a rack made out of angle-iron on the back and the trailer is grey and self-dumping.
"That was a workhorse, that old tractor," he said. "It did a lot for us. And the trailer, we used it to cart stuff around - dirt and stuff."
Ways to upgrade security are being considered, Ghostkeeper said.
Anyone who has information on where the missing items could be is asked to call the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Tips can also be provided online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca, or by texting CRIMES using keyword "pgtips."
Quote file number 16-32070 for the lawn tractor and 16-9037 for the electronics.
