Burglars cause damage to football club pitch
League One English football club Plymouth Argyle have reported significant damage to Home Park after a tractor was driven across the pitch during a break-in at the stadium.
Burglars allegedly smashed through perimeter fencing outside Home Park on Saturday night and therefore gained access to its garage.
This was where they managed to use tools to start up a tractor and then caused "mindless destruction" to the pitch according to the club, who fear it was an inside job pulled off by someone with "solid operational knowledge" of the stadium.
Plymouth revealed that their pitch was at an "early and crucial stage of renovation" ahead of next season, with costly and extensive repairs now required as the external company that helped with groundwork will also have to be called back to "regerminate the playing surface".
Known as 'The Pilgrims', Plymouth have no guarantees that that the damage can be instantly repaired and have home friendlies against Swansea and Bristol City already scheduled next month.
Reporting the matter to the police while offering a reward for information, Plymouth explained that the work comes at an additional cost and places its grounds team under further pressure while already facing tight turnaround times ahead of next term.
To avoid a repeat of the incident, Plymouth will be upscaling security which will also add further expenses and direct funds away from improving Home Park, the matchday experience there for fans, and its first team squad.
"It should go without saying, but any true supporter of Argyle would not engage in such mindless destruction," the club said in a statement.
"The trespassers’ ability to efficiently break down newly installed fencing with specific tools, before accessing the grounds team’s garage and recently installed roof lighting control system, suggests that the intruders had a solid operational knowledge of Home Park," it suggested, while guaranteeing that it will lend its full support to the police to see the individuals responsible identified and punished.
