Ambarvale, Rosemeadow bin-ramming rampage: Driver covers streets in trash, destroys 80 bins

Residents in Sydney’s southwest woke to chaos and garbage-littered streets after a reckless driver mounted kerbs and destroyed scores of bins overnight. Watch the video here.

Ambarvale residents woke to chaos on Monday when streets were littered with garbage after a wild driver rammed about 80 bins overnight.

Campbelltown police received reports about midnight on Monday of a car mounting kerbs and smashing bins on Woodhouse Drive and Dickens Rd.

Officers suspect the culprit was driving a white Toyota HiLux, targeting bins throughout Ambarvale and surrounding suburbs including Rosemeadow and Glen Alpine.

Rosemeadow mother-of-two Melanie James woke to find her bin shattered and rubbish scattered hundreds of metres down the road after she placed it outside on Sunday at 6pm.

“I didn’t hear or see it happen,’’ she said.

At least 80 bins were destroyed by the reckless driver over night in Sydney's southwest. Picture: James Poke

“I had my neighbour knock on my door early this morning to tell me my bin was down the street.

“Unfortunately I can’t clean it up right now as I have a newborn and a toddler, so I’m unable to leave them in the house alone to clean it.”

Ms James must wait for her partner to come home to help.

Living atop a hill on Copperfield Drive, she said she believed she was the only one affected on her street because most neighbours put their bins out in the morning.

“My bin ended up about 300m down the road … thankfully, I only put one bin out,” she said.

“ … If people didn’t just get a slap on the wrist for crimes, they might think twice before doing this kind of thing.”

Melanie James’ bin was destroyed and dragged down her street. Picture: Melanie James

She said she would move “in a heartbeat” if she could, and has lodged a request for a replacement bin with Campbelltown Council, which states damaged bins are replaced for free within two business days.

DoorDash driver James Poke witnessed the aftermath of the spree three hours into his shift last night, tracking the trail of destruction spanning at least 10km.

“He pretty much went in and out of all those streets around Woodhouse Drive all the way up to Boythorn Ave then towards Glen Alpine,” he said.

Mr Poke saw the first destroyed bin about midnight and decided to investigate after seeing posts on social media and multiple police vehicles searching the streets and interviewing residents.

A DoorDash driver witnessed the aftermath of the spree on his shift last night, tracking the trail of destruction over at least 10km. Picture: James Poke

“There were some police cars down near the field at the back of Aldi talking to some homeowners and police cars searching different streets,” he said.

Ambarvale resident James Chapman heard the distinct sound of a car with popped tyres speeding down Georgiana Cres he and his family prepared for bed.

“I wasn’t personally impacted but I did see the four-wheel drive driving at extremely high speed with one or more tyres burst in my street,” Mr Chapman said.

He described the engine revving loudly and the rims scraping against the road, leaving visible marks on his street.

A Campbelltown Council spokeswoman said it had received 17 requests for bins after they were stolen or damaged.

“We are currently working without our domestic waste contractor to have the damaged bins repaired and/or replaced over the next few days,’’ she said.