Police say an act of “stupidity and carelessness” is behind the dumping of a stolen car in a sinkhole south-east of Mount Gambier.
Key points:
- A car was found in a sinkhole near Mount Gambier
- Police says such incidents are a waste of resources for emergency services
- Sinkholes are common in the area
The Mount Gambier State Emergency Service unit was called yesterday to begin the challenging process of removing the vehicle from a remote OneFortyOne pine plantation.
Leading the investigation, Limestone Coast Superintendent Campbell Hill said the car was reported stolen from Mount Gambier earlier this year.
“It’s ultimately an act of great stupidity and carelessness,” he told ABC South East SA.
“It’s had a big impact on emergency services resources and volunteers, not to mention the owner of the car.”
Sinkholes dot the landscape around Mount Gambier. Some have become diving hotspots, especially when they connect to underground caves.
The 50-metre-wide Umpherston Sinkhole on Mount Gambier’s outskirts was made into a sunken garden in 1886 and attracts thousands of tourists every year.
Superintendent Hill said the remoteness of where the car was found meant the vehicle might have been there for many months.
“It’s not a public sinkhole like many of the well-known ones in the region,” he said.
“Our investigations are ongoing and we’re exploring our forensic opportunities as we do with most of our stolen property and vehicle theft cases.
“So we’ll progress that and hopefully bring the people involved to account.”
Waste of time and resources
Superintendent Hill said he was “increasingly frustrated” by the dumping and torching of stolen vehicles and rubbish in pine plantations and agricultural areas in the region.
“Leading into the warmer months, when we’re on high fire alert, it’s downright dangerous.”
He said the cost of addressing incidents when stolen cars were dumped in forestry plantations was significant.
“It’s also taking up the time of volunteers and resources when they may be needed for genuine emergencies.
“We’ve got very well-trained volunteers but it’s an incredible waste of their resources and time.
“We really appreciate the help they provide but the interruption to their time and the fact that it takes resources away from genuine emergencies is a real frustration.”
Police are proceeding with forensic investigations on the vehicle and the circumstances around its dumping.
Sinkholes are caused when rain erodes the limestone in the ground, forming a hole in an otherwise flat landscape.
A large sinkhole opened up in Mount Gambier’s CBD in June after heavy rain.
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