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At first glance you might think this wire slung across a Canberra nature trail is a spindly branch. Look closer and you'll see the barbs. Bushwalker Michael Archinal discovered this "booby trap" while trekking the Centenary Trail near Tuggeranong with his wife last Friday. The barbed wire and fishing line was strung at neck height through trees, 230 metres from the end of the Tuggeranong stone wall. "There's no doubt this was meant to severely injure somebody on a pushbike," he said. "The trail goes through the Bullen Range Nature Reserve and I think people potentially want to keep walkers and cyclists out of the area." Mr Archinal dismantled the trap and made a report via Crimestoppers – but not before he nearly walked into it. "My wife didn't even see it, she thought it was a branch. It was in the shade of the tree, lucky I saw it out of the corner of my eye otherwise it would have got me in the throat," he said. "We think it had only been put up that morning, there was no pressure from the wire through to the trunk of the tree it was wound around." When Mr Archinal shared his story with mates in the cycling community, he said they were disgusted but not surprised. "It's not unusual for people to booby-trap mountain bike and cycling areas with trees put across the path and things like that but this is by far the most malicious," he said. "[The people who did this] need to think about the potential ramifications of what they've done. This could have severely injured somebody, maimed them for life or worse." It's not the first time cyclists in the area have been the target of malicious acts. Sixty-year-old Brian Pearce was admitted to Canberra Hospital last year after branches believed to have been deliberately strewn across a bike path near his Tuggeranong home sent him flying over his handlebars and caused him to hit his head on a concrete wall. ACT Policing confirmed it had received the information report regarding this latest incident. A spokesperson from the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate said if people were aware of vandalism in any of Canberra's parks and reserves they should report it to Access Canberra on 13 22 81. Unlawful behaviour can be reported to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via www.act.crimestoppers.com.au.

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