Sometimes in life the small-minded and petty actions of individuals really does beggar belief.
But the actions of the mindless vandals who removed 20 life rings from Riverside Drive in Dundee over the weekend is so astounding that it warrants its own category of abject and pathetic.
At almost £100 each to buy and to string up, the life rings don’t come cheap.
But Tay Valley React UK, the voluntary organisation which provides and maintains the water safety equipment, was quick to point out the cost of the weekend’s vandalism could easily amount to more than the financial loss.
The life rings are there to help people who find themselves in distress in the Tay.
When they are removed, an actual lifeline disappears and the chances of surviving the chilly waters of the Tay diminishes.
Reducing someone’s chances of getting to safety surely cannot be the purpose of the culprits who removed these life rings.
But it is similarly hard to understand the motivations of anyone who would set out to destroy and deny for a few minutes of so-called fun.
Dundee life ring vandals need to understand group’s lifesaving work
The protracted nature of the vandalism hopefully means the culprits can be quickly identified.
And they must then be properly dealt with by the courts if others are to be dissuaded from following in their anti-social behaviour.
7th November. All water rescue life rings are now replaced along Riverside drive, Dundee.
If you see anyone stealing or tampering with this vital lifesaving equipment, call the Police immediately. @TaysidePolice @DundeePolice pic.twitter.com/uw2uFtAIpu
— Tay Valley REACT UK (@tayvalleyreact) November 7, 2022
Community service is often viewed as an easy alternative to jail.
But perhaps offenders could be placed with groups such as Tay Valley React more often.
Then they might gain an insight into the potential consequences of their actions.
And they might think before they consider casually destroying property and blithely putting lives at risk in future.
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