Nothing But Net: Youth Soccer Goals Stolen

The spring season for Branford Soccer Club’s Li’l Kicks and Micros starts today but there may be a small hole in the logistics of practice; approximately 20 soccer goals were stolen.

Between Tuesday, March 29 and Saturday, April 2, believe 12 new white metal soccer goals and up to eight older metal goals were stolen from on Brushy Plain Road. Captain Geoffrey Morgan stated, “The nets were cut off and left.”

Cenk Sahin, Vice President of the BSC reported the four- by six-foot goals missing to police Saturday morning. This morning via phone, Sahin stated that he last noticed the goals Wednesday afternoon when he was driving by the park (he originally noted to police he wasn’t sure if it was Tuesday or Wednesday).

Morgan estimates the value of the goals to be somewhere near $2,000. “We are surmising,” stated Morgan, “that someone stole them for scrap metal.”

Branford Police Department’s MATRIX department (special assignment officers) are now working on getting photos of the goals according to Morgan, and will be visiting area scrap yards to see if they appear. There are no scrap yards in Branford, stated Morgan, adding most of them are in New Haven.

This morning, Don Fillion of the BSC e-mailed members informing them of the incident and asking parents if they could lend a goal for practice. Anyone who can bring a goal should do so tonight at 6 p.m. (pending the weather allows practice to run as schedule). The BSC is asking donors to bring and take home goals for practices Monday through Thursday evenings.

The BSC two youth programs that practice on Veteran’s Fields include up to 160 players ages 4 to 7.

Sahin stated that the 12 new goals were purchased for this past fall season and were like brand new. “We’re going to try to replace the goals as soon as possible,” he stated, “but otherwise, we’ll have to rely on parents.”

There is a storage trailer on site, Sahin commented, but said the BSC has not used it in the past. He said the storage container is far away from the fields.

“Anyone coming with the intent to steal,” said Sahin, “is going to steal no matter how secure they are.”

Scrap metal theft has been on the rise according to Branford Police who report that two suspects involved in separate incidents were caught trying to sell stolen metal at a scrap yard on Friday. “We’re seeing an up kick in scrap metal thefts,” said Morgan.

Also last Wednesday, Branford Police Michael Orifice, 42, of 41 Wheaton Road in East Haven after he a copper sculpture made by a local artists. His intent was to scrap the material.