Vandals leave Empire Ranch golf carts in course river, lake

Vandals damaged 15 golf carts and two maintenance vehicles at Empire Ranch Golf Course, leaving four of the carts on the lake on the course and two in the river.

“They tore into the wall” to gain access to the carts, head golf professional Sean Boggs said. “They ripped open the panels” of corrugated steel. The cart barn is directly beneath the Empire Ranch’s main building.

“They just constantly drove these things around,” Sheriff Ken Furlong said.

Boggs estimated total damage at $100,000 to $150,000. The vandalism happened between 8:30 p.m. Thursday and 6 a.m. Friday.

Two carts are missing, and the two maintenance vehicles have been repaired, Boggs said.

“We scoured high and low,” he said of the carts. “Who knows where they are? Their estimated value is $5,000 apiece.”

Security has been put in place to prevent similar crimes, Boggs said.

The vandals also smashed golf carts and destroyed areas of the course that were being seeded.

“It’s not going to deplete our fleet at all,” Boggs said.