Happy Fryer, Daisy Hill, smashed and raided by callous vandals

A popular food outlet south of Brisbane has been targeted for the third time in four years by “depraved” vandals who caused about $30k of damage and even killed animals in the process. See the CCTV

The owners of a Daisy Hill restaurant have shared their devastation and disappointment after their shop front was destroyed in a “callous” break and enter.

On Monday morning glass littered the outside of the shop, as well as inside, with drinks thrown and sprayed across the floor, which had been covered in water after one of the thieves smashed the shop’s fish tank, leaving the pet fish to die.

The Happy Fryer at Daisy Hill was targeted by thieves overnight.

The whole incident was caught on CCTV, showing two of the thieves repeatedly trying to smash their way through the glass shopfront for 30 seconds before heading to the counter and jumping over.

They were soon joined by a third accomplice before one of them returns to the shop floor and damages the drinks machine.

Among the chaotic exit was the heartless act of one of the trio, who appeared to purposefully smash the shop’s fish tank, leaving water pouring out of it and causing the pet fish to die.

One of the thieves emerged from behind the counter before targeting the shop's fish tank.

Owners Trevor and Helen Hayes received the call that their shop had been broken into between 4:30am and 5am on Monday, arriving to a smashed shop front and trashed inside.

“We’re devastated, the police were here when I got here, so their response time was fantastic,” Mr Hayes said.

The thief hit the fish tank several times, until it smashed.

“They literally missed the culprits by about two minutes and I was here about three minutes after that.

“Just to see the damage is devastating. It’s not just the outside, it’s inside. They’ve broken just about every piece of glass they can break – all of the devices, the phones they’ve smashed on the floor, and then at the end, they’ve decided to kill the fish in the fish tank.”

He went on to say the culprits attempted to open the safe but were unsuccessful, and only stole “insignificant items”.

The thief finally stopped once the tank was smashed open and water was pouring over the shop floor.

“There’s only really food here to be stolen,” Mr Hayes said.

This is the third time the fish and chips shop has been broken into in the four-and-a-half years it’s been open.

The shop, which resides in the Daisy Hill shopping centre, is not the only one which has been targeted in the past, with the IGA and other restaurants previously hit.

Mr Hayes estimated the damage would likely be upwards of $30,000, and while they were insured, there would still be large out-of-pocket expenses.

“I don’t want to put up with it any more, but you really don’t have a choice it’s how we make a living,” he said.

While there is a body corporate security system around the shopping centre building, Ms Hayes said they did not work, with shop owners told they “act as a deterrent”.

“We’re paying top dollar for rent … $1000 a week,” she said.

“(We’re told) it’s a deterrent, well it’s deterring nothing but that’s what they’ve said.”

The Hayes’ had their own CCTV inside that they inherited from the previous shop owners.

Police remained on scene just after 10am Monday, taking photos of items behind the counter and searching for finger prints.

The owners estimate $30,000 of damage has been caused. Source: Facebook.

Windows were smashed in the raid. Source: Facebook.

Springwood MP Mick de Brenni who was on scene speaking to the owners said the incident could “only be described as a callous act of vandalism”.

“The decision by the culprits to top it off by killing the fish just shows how depraved these individuals are,” Mr De Brenni said.

“In the meantime, our priority is supporting the police to do their work, but we’re also calling on the owners of the shopping centres to do what they can to help protect their tenants and the community.

“Functioning security systems, cameras and alarms seem like a minimum and they’re just not operational here in this community, so we’d like to see that done as a priority.”

Owner of The Happy Fryer at Daisy Hill, Trevor Hayes.

The body corporate – Connect Commercial – has been contacted for comment.

A Logan City Safe camera was installed about 100m down the road from the centre, however Mr De Brenni said he would like to see more installed in the area.

Mr Hayes said he was grateful for the community support, with many frequent customers coming to help sweep glass and clean up the shop.

Margaret Stangret who lives across the road from the shopping centre called the police after awaking to banging early Monday morning.

“I was reading my book, and then I heard this thud, thud, thud, and my instincts kicked in. I knew what it was. I looked out the bedroom window, there’s this kid going to town on the windows,” Ms Stangret said.

She said she saw a white car with three others inside the vehicle as a “short, young kid” dressed in a grey tracksuit with his hood up bashed the windows with what Ms Stangret described as a baseball bat.

“The smashing, the thudding and I’ve heard that thudding before, I knew instantly what it was,” she said.

“And then I ran for my home phone to call the police.”

This is the third time she has witnessed the fish and chips shop be broken into.

“It’s unnecessary. It’s just plain vandalism. It’s just stupid,” Ms Stangret said.

Police are investigating whether the group who broke into the Daisy Hill fish and chips shop were also involved in eight break and enters in Logan overnight.

Initial investigations have indicated at about 4.30am a group of people have forced entry to a Wembley Rd shopping centre, entering multiple businesses, causing damage and stealing items.

Then, at about 5am a group of people forced entry into the Cupania St business at Daisy Hill.

Investigations are continuing into these incidents, including whether they are linked.

Police ask anyone with information or relevant footage to come forward.