Vandals wreak havoc in Byron Bay

A BYRON BAY man is angry after vandals caused damage to his ‘livelihood’ worth thousands of dollars.

Frank McDonald stores his concrete water tank construction equipment next to the Belongil Fields Caravan Park in Ewingsdale Road, including a work truck and backhoe.

Mr McDonald went to his truck on Monday only to find its windows had been smashed with beer bottles and a metal pole was still stuck in the glass. The cabin had been trashed, his equipment damaged and the backhoe’s front windscreen cracked.

A car which was also left on the property was smashed with a metal pole.

Mr McDonald believes the offenders came on to his property from the neighbouring caravan park, as he found the barbed wire fence between the two properties had been ripped down and logs blocking a path had been shifted.

“Why do they have to smash things to pieces?” he asked. “What enjoyment do you get? That’s my livelihood. I build concrete tanks and I need that truck to work.”

Mr McDonald, who has worked in the area for 20 years, said he couldn’t afford to rent or buy a ‘huge shed’ to store his equipment.

The Suffolk Park resident believes he could lose up to $26,000 for two weeks of lost work and has to pay a $1500 insurance excess to cover the damage caused.

“Someone needs to smack these kids on the back of the head, not just tap them on the hand,” he said.

“They are never going to catch these people, but there needs to be awareness out there about what happened.”

Police responded to the vandalism on Monday, but were unavailable for comment at 5pm yesterday.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.