Cookstown Health Centre has sustained ‘significant’ water damage after vandals broke in and damaged a tank, with the aim of flooding the facility.
The incident happened sometime on Friday night (September 14) or the early hours of Saturday morning.
It’s been condemned by both the police and the community.
Police say the culprits specifically went to the roof space water storage tank, removed the sealed lid and destroyed the ballcock mechanism in the tank.
With the water constantly flowing they then diverted the external overflow pipe to encourage it to flood the building.
Police said it was ‘sheer good fortune’ that a member of staff went into the building on a separate task and spotted the flooding inside.
And they say if it hadn’t been discovered until Monday, the majority of Cookstown Health Centre would have been completely destroyed, with medical equipment, notes, medicines, patient records and computers all lost in the damage.
“This wasn’t vandalism – this was a targeted attack on the people of Cookstown, and anyone you uses medical services and the health centre in this town. The only aim was to destroy the Health Centre,” said a police spokesperson.
“We want to know who was involved. Did you see individuals in the car park on the evening or night of Friday 14th September or early hours of Saturday 15th? Did you see anyone on the roof of the health centre? Or have you seen individuals hanging around the health centre in recent weeks or days?” added the police spokesperson.
Police say these are serious burglary offences and they want to see those responsible caught and prosecuted.
They say they are currently analysing CCTV footage of the area and of the town.
“Those who wish to destroy essential medical facilities in our town need to be standing in front of a judge preparing for a prison sentence – help us put them there,” added the spokesperson.