Two boys on illegal e-scooters have torn up Cromer soccer pitches at St Matthews Farm Reserve, disrupting training and matches for the Collaroy Cromer Strikers Football Club and prompting a police investigation.
The pair, believed to be around 13 years old, were filmed spinning their e-scooters in tight circles across the playing surfaces, carving ruts into the turf and leaving the ground churned up and unfit for use. Footage shared on social media spread quickly through the local community, drawing widespread anger. Police confirmed the images are now in their possession.
The damage was significant enough to force the club to cancel training for multiple senior and junior sides, including its men’s Premier League team, whose Thursday session is one of the biggest nights on the club’s weekly calendar. Several matches originally scheduled at the reserve last Friday evening also had to be relocated.
Club president Anthony Pollard described the mood within the club as one of frustration and disappointment. He said Thursday training is not just about football — it is a social occasion that many members look forward to each week. Having that disrupted mid-season, he said, was an unwelcome distraction for players, officials, parents, and supporters alike.
Northern Beaches Council confirmed it had carried out repairs to the affected playing surfaces following two separate reported incidents involving e-mobility devices at the reserve. The council has since reported the matter to Northern Beaches Police and indicated it would cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
Mayor Sue Heins said the council was let down by what she described as pointless vandalism. She noted that sports fields are shared community spaces relied on by local clubs, families, and residents, and that reckless behaviour puts everyone’s enjoyment of those spaces at risk.
Northern Beaches Police crime manager, Chief Inspector Michael Boutouridis, said officers would be liaising with council staff as part of the inquiry. He indicated the two alleged offenders could face malicious damage to property charges, and that the matter had been allocated for formal investigation.
Under NSW transport law, e-scooters are only permitted on private property and cannot legally be ridden on public land, including parks and sports reserves.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact Northern Beaches Police.
Published 16-July-2026
