Residents in Niigata city in central Japan often enjoy this area for walks and cycling as a place of leisure.

However, something strange is happening to its facilities.

S/ Nearby worker/ I think it was past 9PM on Sunday (August 17). I heard several loud noises like bang bang that sounded like something was being hit.

The loud sound came from the public restroom.

There were several holes in the ceiling.

According to the city, a sanitary worker discovered that part of the ceiling was broken on August 18.

The damage didn’t end there.

S/ Reporter/ If we look at the shared restroom at this park that has playground equipment for children, we can see that it has been taped off and unable to enter.

The glass window of a bathroom door in another park about 1 kilometer away was also found broken on August 5.

The door has been temporarily repaired but remains out of order.

S/ Local/ It’s been like this from a few days ago so I was wondering what happened. It’s becoming more and more unsafe.

Since April, Niigata city has reported to the police several similar incidents where restroom walls and toilet seats have been damaged.

Around 800,000 yen or roughly 5,300 US dollars of taxes have been used for repairs.

The police are investigating the incident for property damage.