Towing crews and village crews work together to remove picnic tables that were defaced and pushed into a pond at Village Park, also known as the 38 Acres, just before Harbor Days in Winthrop Harbor last week. | Provided Photos

Village officials say brand-new picnic tables were defaced and dragged into a pond by vandals just before the Harbor Days festival in Winthrop Harbor and are asking residents to call police with information.

The Village of Winthrop Harbor said it purchased and set out brand-new picnic tables at Village Park, also known as the 38 Acres, just before Harbor Days.

Harbor Days is an annual festival held at the end of summer to bring the community together for four days of food, music and fun. It was held September 10-13.

The tables were there for the festival and for park-goers to use all season long.

Towing crews and village crews work together to remove picnic tables that were defaced and pushed into a pond at Village Park, also known as the 38 Acres, just before Harbor Days in Winthrop Harbor last week. | Provided Photo

Someone dragged several of the tables into the pond at the park last week, the village said.

The vandal or vandals also painted, wrote and carved markings onto the tables.

The Parks and Recreation and Public Works departments spent time at the water’s edge pulling them back out.

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Whitmore’s Towing and Fleet Service of Waukegan brought their equipment and did the heavy lifting free of charge for the village.

Towing crews and village crews work together to remove picnic tables that were defaced and pushed into a pond at Village Park, also known as the 38 Acres, just before Harbor Days in Winthrop Harbor last week. | Provided Photo

“We’re grateful to them for stepping up, and to our own crews for the extra time,” the village said.

The tables are out of the water but are not ready to use. Every one of them has to be repaired before it gets placed back out due to the paint and carvings.

“That’s more staff time and more money on tables that were brand new a few weeks ago, and every hour and every dollar spent undoing damage is an hour and a dollar not spent on the next improvement,” the Village of Winthrop Harbor said.

Towing crews and village crews work together to remove picnic tables that were defaced and pushed into a pond at Village Park, also known as the 38 Acres, just before Harbor Days in Winthrop Harbor last week. | Provided Photo

The village said they are working to put more into the parks, not less, and “this makes that harder for everyone.”

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“This should not be happening in our community. So here’s what we’re asking. Keep an eye out,” the village added.

Anyone who is at the 38 Acres or any village park and sees something that does not look right is asked to call the Winthrop Harbor Police Department. “You don’t need to confront anyone and you don’t need to be certain. A phone call is enough.”

Anyone who saw anything last week at the 38 Acres or knows who was involved is asked to contact the Winthrop Harbor Police Department.