Thieves have struck again at a baseball field in Surrey, B.C., ripping out the copper wiring for the outdoor lighting system and causing the cancellation of Little League tryouts this week.  

It's the sixth time the South Surrey Athletic Park has been hit since last summer. The wiring had been most recently restored by the city parks department last Friday.

The thieves got in again on Saturday night and made off with the copper, but no one noticed until young baseball players showed up for Little League tryouts on Monday night.

Because of the blackout, the tryouts were called off until repairs can be done.

Jan Golden of the White Rock-South Surrey Baseball Association said it's discouraging for the children.

"It's bad role-modelling for them. Kids that are involved in sport take a certain ownership to not only the fields where they play, but the communities that they play in, and this sort of vandalism is a direct affront to their dignity."

Owen Croy of the city's parks department said the vandalism has cost "tens of thousands of dollars" in repairs to the lighting.

"It's been primarily from the large field lights, but there's also been some wiring runs that service restrooms and parking lot lighting."

Croy said the electrical access panels will be welded shut, and dog patrols will be hired for the park.