Rip warning sign stolen from Native Dog Beach, Shire of Jerramungup warns of potential for tragic consequences

The rip warning sign at the notoriously dangerous Native Dog Beach was stolen last week, prompting the Shire of Jerramungup to share a stark warning about the impacts of not having safety signs available. The sign was installed in September, along with a new angel ring, defibrillator and other swim safety signage, following a tragic incident at the beach in January in which young dad Ricky Harris lost his life while attempting to rescue two children from a rip. The Shire of Jerramungup posted a message to its Facebook page on Thursday urging whoever stole the sign to return it. “This is a deeply concerning matter, as the beach has a history of serious water safety incidents,” the post reads. “We urge whoever removed the sign to return it promptly. “These warnings are not placed lightly; they are essential for preventing accidents and ensuring the well-being of everyone who visits Native Dog Beach. “Removing safety signage puts people at unnecessary risk and undermines our collective efforts to protect the community.” The shire noted this was not the first time signage had been stolen from Native Dog Beach, with Bremer Bay community Facebook pages also mentioning at least one other sign was stolen from a nearby beach in recent weeks. Safety signs, including rip warnings and Beach Emergency Number signs, provide critical information to both beach-goers and emergency responders in case of an emergency, including rip placements, beach locations and locations of defibrillators. The shire said local organisations including Bremer Marine Rescue and families of those who had lost their lives at Native Dog Beach had strongly advocated for the signs to be installed. “The ongoing removal of these signs seriously jeopardises public safety and undermines the hard work of all those dedicated to keeping our community safe,” the Facebook post read. Anyone with information about the missing warning sign should contact the Shire of Jerramungup.