2 Golf Courses Vandalized Over Weekend
Windsor Parke Golf Club, Glen Kernan Country Club Each Found With Damage
POSTED: Tuesday, September 22, 2009
UPDATED: 8:05 pm EDT September 22,
2009
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Two of Jacksonville's high-end golf courses were broken into and vandalized over the weekend.
Windsor Parke Golf Club and Glen Kernan Country Club, both on the Southside, were each found with damage.
Police said the Windsor Parke damage was discovered Sunday night. They said three people got into the golf cart barn, took tip money and drove off in two carts worth $10,000. A police helicopter later discovered the golf carts abandoned in the nearby woods.
Police said the vandals were seen on surveillance video prying open the golf cart garage.
Mark Heeter, the general manager of the Windsor Parke Golf Club, told Channel 4's Jason Law he thinks the break-in was an inside job by a former employee.
"Took two carts, two chargers and ransacked the place a little bit," Heeter said. "Kicked in some doors inside the buildings."
Police said the Glen Kernan break-in was discovered early Monday morning, and the damage is far more extensive.
Police said vandals broke into the pro shop, trashed it and took money and golf items. Police said they got into the underground golf barn and drove two carts onto the course, cutting donuts in the 17th and 18th greens. The carts were later recovered.
Glen Kernan is a private course.
"We've got guards on both ends of the neighborhood. We've got a 24-hour roaming guard. So for somebody to be able to get in there and cause that kind of destruction, it bothers me very much," one resident said.
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