The community is paying the price for an ongoing plague of vandalism in Wanaka, Queenstown Lakes District Council Wanaka operations manager Chris Hawker said.

"We estimate in the last three weeks vandals have clocked up bills in excess of $8000 with $2000 having to be spent on the replacement of destroyed sprinkler heads in Pembroke Park, alone," Mr Hawker said.

Calls by the council for the Wanaka community to take ownership of the problem have been picked by a local radio station, a move supported by the council.

Radio Wanaka this week launched a "Dob in a Dickhead" campaign in light of the ongoing and mindless vandalism of trees, public areas and public toilets.

"If we can pinpoint the perpetrators we can save this community thousands of dollars and ensure we keep our sense of pride of place intact," Mr Hawker said.

Smashed and damaged toilets, tagging and broken trees were not reflective of the Wanaka community.

"I think people are really fed up," Mr Hawker said.

It was the type of crime that particularly irked. At the weekend in addition to the trashing of the Eely Point toilet block and snapping of 40 trees in Pembroke Park, vandals had systematically smashed beer bottles in the children?s foreshore playground.

"We had contractors on their hands and knees picking up tiny shards of glass from the bark for several hours. We also had about 300 people enjoying the foreshore, without any access to public toilets because they had been trashed," Mr Hawker said.

If members of the community heard or saw anything suspicious they should call the police, taking careful note of details such as vehicle registration, colour, make and model.

"If the community is vigilant then we will eventually be able to identify those responsible," Mr Hawker said.

ENDS

For more information please contact Chris Hawker 03 43 8197

By: Sarah