A local Perth football club has been dealt a crippling blow after their league jumpers were stolen. SNESA football club plays in the C4 division of the Perth Football League, and the league side currently sits fifth on the ladder after a 2-2 start to their season. However, they have been dealt a devastating blow after their new jumpers were stolen on Wednesday night.
The Theft Incident
Former president and club legend Vice Paparone revealed that the blue and gold kit was taken out of a player’s car. “After each game we allocate someone to take the jumpers home and wash them,” Mr Paparone said. “One of the boys who lives in Cloverdale took the jumpers, washed them, and put them in his car on Wednesday night so he could bring them to training on Thursday. In that time overnight someone’s broken into his car and stolen the jumpers along with some of his personal items . . . they’re still not recovered.”
Impact on the Club
With a tight turnaround for their next game on Saturday, the club had to quickly scrounge old jumpers so the boys can run out and compete on the weekend. “We’ve got some old kits from previous years, but that kit was brand new last year,” Mr Paparone said. “The burden of having to scrape together old kits which we’ve on sold or given away, so trying to get enough numbers to play on the weekend.” While they managed to gather enough guernseys for their league side to play going forward, the impact to the club will be detrimental if not recovered.
Many local footy clubs around Perth are already doing it tough to keep their head above water. “It’s $2000 for a full kit, so it is quite a financial burden,” Mr Paparone said. “Insurance doesn’t cover it and also the club’s insurance won’t cover it because it’s not at the facility. We have sponsors who paid to be on the back of the kit, it’s a burden to them as well . . . they, understandably, probably wouldn’t want to fork out any more. So the club’s probably going to have to fund the cost itself to replace them.”
Appeal for Help
The club has reported the incident to WA Police and are urging members of the public to help recover these new kits to relieve the added stress. SNESA president Rafic Aoun took to the club’s social media, informing the public about the incident and calling out the perpetrator. “This is a disgraceful, cowardly act so this is the culprit’s chance to redeem themselves and do something good with their life,” he said on Facebook. WA Police have been contacted for comment.
