Herentals (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In Herentals, vandals pushed away the tractor lock in Lenteheide for the 3rd time. Eva Brandwijk (N-VA) says it protects walkers. The city may add cameras to stop this.
As VRT News reported, in Herentals, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium, someone pushed the tractor lock off the path again. This is the 3rd time in a few months. The lock is a big concrete block put there in 2012. It’s in the middle of Lenteheide to stop cars, so only farm vehicles can go through.
It’s near places like Den Troon military base and the Kleine Nete river, and a petting zoo. People from Herentals, Grobbendonk, and Vorselaar use it for walking and cycling. City official Wim Brandwijk said the lock keeps walkers and cyclists safe and keeps the area car-free.
“The tractor lock is there to make the road safer for cyclists and pedestrians.”
Eva Brandwijk, Alderman for Mobility (N-VA)
What’s behind the repeated vandalism of the Lenteheide lock?
The repeated damage to the tractor lock worries the city and people who live there. Officials mentioned that when the lock is removed, cars can drive through, which is dangerous for walkers, families, and cyclists. They said that putting the lock back is expensive and takes time. Some individuals have a desire to use the road for their purposes.
On a Sunday night, July 13th 2025 or early Monday morning, July 14th 2025, someone tampered with the tractor lock in the Lenteheide nature area in Herentals. This lock is a big oval concrete block placed there years ago to stop cars from passing through, except for farm vehicles. It was found pushed off the road, which takes a lot of force.
A city employee explained, cars try to drive over the lock or try to go around on the side, but this time it was not an accident. The lock is held down with metal pins, so it will not move easily. This is why the city is convinced it was purposely done and is called vandalism, and it is currently unknown who did it.
According to officials, the Lenteheide Heath is a peaceful green space that many walkers and cyclists enjoy because it has no cars. Now that the tractor lock has been pushed away, more cars are coming through, which is not what the city wants.
The city said they will put the lock back in place by Monday night, July 21, 2025, to fix the problem quickly. They are also thinking about putting up a camera to stop this from happening again.
Alderman Brandwijk said they are still looking into that idea, but are glad that people in the area told the city about the problem right away. She said that it helps the city take care of public places. They are still trying to find out who moved the lock, and they are asking anyone with useful information to let them know.
