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http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2004/09/20/636765.html
Beach hides razor-sharp boobytraps
BLADES BURIED AT WOODBINE VOLLEYBALL COURTS
By JACK BOLAND, TORONTO SUN
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2004/09/20/razor1.jpg
Det. Norm Brinn of 55 Division shows off one of 13 utility blades embedded in a blocks of wood found buried in the sand in the beach volleyball area of Woodbine Beach . (Sun photo/Jack Boland).
One of Toronto's most popular beaches was boobytrapped with at least 13 razor-sharp utility blades, buried in the sand and discovered only moments before a volleyball tournament began yesterday. The blades were embedded in blocks of wood and meticulously planted in Woodbine Beach sometime between 6:30 p.m. Saturday and yesterday morning, police said.
No one was injured but the discovery came as the volleyball players were about to hit the beach.
Police now face the daunting task over the next several days of conducting a grid-search of all of the 95 beach volleyball courts occupying the four-acre site, ensuring all of the lethal objects are unearthed.
"I have never seen anything like this before in the 20 years I've been working down here," said Det. Norm Brinn. "It is truly the work of a disturbed person, to say the least."
"The objects constructed give us a cause for concern because they could have caused extreme injury to anyone who came in contact with them."
PLAYER FOUND FIRST ONE
The first of the deadly weapons were found as members of the Toronto East Sport and Social Club prepared to play a season-ending beach tournament.
A player discovered one just below the surface of the sand.
"They were intentionally put there for us to get cut," said Randy Seupersad. "It wasn't like they were too, too deep. We started sifting through the courts and found these blades."
Seupersad's teammate, Joanna Habbous, said all their friends decided to cancel the tournament because "it was better to be safe than sorry."
By the time they were finished, they'd discovered eight of the deadly objects.
Police armed with metal detectors and parks and recreation workers using rakes dug up five more blades later in the day.
A sand-grooming tractor was brought in to till the sand in an effort to loosen any remaining blades and make it easier for officers to find them.
One of the many passersby, David Camelon, said in the past week three large pop machines near the Kew Beach hockey rink were completely destroyed and wondered if it was the work of a group playing nasty pranks.
And Sgt. Tina Stewart, directing yesterday's operation, said city workers told her an elderly couple ran into fishing line hung up with hooks in area trails before a run.
Another officer at yesterday's scene recalled the Withrow Park event of this past winter where poison was placed in the park, killing one dog and causing 17 others to become seriously ill. No arrests have been made in that case.
Anyone with information should call police at 416-808-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS/8477.
Beach hides razor-sharp boobytraps
BLADES BURIED AT WOODBINE VOLLEYBALL COURTS
By JACK BOLAND, TORONTO SUN
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2004/09/20/razor1.jpg
Det. Norm Brinn of 55 Division shows off one of 13 utility blades embedded in a blocks of wood found buried in the sand in the beach volleyball area of Woodbine Beach . (Sun photo/Jack Boland).
One of Toronto's most popular beaches was boobytrapped with at least 13 razor-sharp utility blades, buried in the sand and discovered only moments before a volleyball tournament began yesterday. The blades were embedded in blocks of wood and meticulously planted in Woodbine Beach sometime between 6:30 p.m. Saturday and yesterday morning, police said.
No one was injured but the discovery came as the volleyball players were about to hit the beach.
Police now face the daunting task over the next several days of conducting a grid-search of all of the 95 beach volleyball courts occupying the four-acre site, ensuring all of the lethal objects are unearthed.
"I have never seen anything like this before in the 20 years I've been working down here," said Det. Norm Brinn. "It is truly the work of a disturbed person, to say the least."
"The objects constructed give us a cause for concern because they could have caused extreme injury to anyone who came in contact with them."
PLAYER FOUND FIRST ONE
The first of the deadly weapons were found as members of the Toronto East Sport and Social Club prepared to play a season-ending beach tournament.
A player discovered one just below the surface of the sand.
"They were intentionally put there for us to get cut," said Randy Seupersad. "It wasn't like they were too, too deep. We started sifting through the courts and found these blades."
Seupersad's teammate, Joanna Habbous, said all their friends decided to cancel the tournament because "it was better to be safe than sorry."
By the time they were finished, they'd discovered eight of the deadly objects.
Police armed with metal detectors and parks and recreation workers using rakes dug up five more blades later in the day.
A sand-grooming tractor was brought in to till the sand in an effort to loosen any remaining blades and make it easier for officers to find them.
One of the many passersby, David Camelon, said in the past week three large pop machines near the Kew Beach hockey rink were completely destroyed and wondered if it was the work of a group playing nasty pranks.
And Sgt. Tina Stewart, directing yesterday's operation, said city workers told her an elderly couple ran into fishing line hung up with hooks in area trails before a run.
Another officer at yesterday's scene recalled the Withrow Park event of this past winter where poison was placed in the park, killing one dog and causing 17 others to become seriously ill. No arrests have been made in that case.
Anyone with information should call police at 416-808-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS/8477.
