$2.4m crane destroyed by vandals bragging in Snapchat videos

The youths who destroyed a $2.4m crane and then bragged about it on social media could delay construction in the Far North as the victims call for it to be the catalyst for change. SEE THE VIDEO

The youths who destroyed a $2.4m crane and then bragged about it on social media could delay construction in the Far North as the victims call for it to be the catalyst for change.

In a video uploaded to social media, two males can be seen smashing the windows of the vehicle after covering it in spray paint and tearing pieces off the machinery.

A second excavator worth $500,000 was also extensively damaged in the brazen attack over the weekend.

The fire extinguisher was smashed through the front windscreen of the $2.4m piece of machinery. Picture: Supplied.

It comes as youth crime continues to wreak havoc on the Far North with fears it is only worsening.

The exhausted general manager of the crane company targeted, Century Cranes’ Bianca Wilson, said she did not claim to have the answers — but something must be done.

“The impact it has is so great, it will affect our projects in town, it’s much bigger than they realise,” she said.

“They are only damaging their own community.”

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Ms Wilson now worries people in Cairns are so tired of the rising youth crime rate that people could get hurt.

“These young people are so brazen with their crimes and we don’t want the victims to turn to vigilante action,” she said.

The vandals claimed they did it just 'because we can' and spray painted I was here on the side of the cabin. Picture: Supplied

Ms Wilson said the crane targeted was one of the two of the company’s largest machines.

“And with the infrastructure projects around Cairns at the moment, we rely heavily on both of them,” Ms Wilson said.

“We are unsure whether the equipment will need to be written off as we are still getting that evaluated.

“The problem is if it is, these machines can’t just be bought. There is a two year wait so that is going to be problematic.

“If it isn’t a write off there is still going to be problems as all the parts need to come from Germany, so the down time is going to be excessive.”

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Ms Wilson said the vandals had smashed the windows to the front and top cabins of the crane and covered the vehicle in spray paint inside and out.

“They’ve emptied the fire extinguisher through the front cab and it is really fine so it could have got into all the computers and the electrics and this could cause greater problems moving forward,” she said.

A fire extinguisher was sprayed throughout the cabin causing damage to electrical equipment. Picture: Supplied

The vandals lit a fire within the top cabin used to control the crane and smashed the glass cabin. Picture: Supplied

“And they tried to light a fire in the upper cab where the crane operator controls the crane.

“It’s the computers and the damage to them which will determine how bad the machine is moving forward. Everything on these new machines is controlled (by) computers.”

The second piece of machinery that was damaged was a 20-tonne excavator operated by Advanced Civil Earthworks.

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Supervisor Toby Proctor said the vandals smashed windows, tore out the radio and covered the exterior and interior in spray paint.

“We still aren’t sure of the extent of the damage as we are waiting for police to have a good look,” Mr Proctor said.

It is not the first time their equipment has been vandalised.

A 20 tonne excavator owned and operated by Advanced Civil Earthworks Cairns was also destroyed by the remorseless vandals. Picture: Supplied

“That machine has been spray painted before and had fuel stolen but this is the most damage anyone has done to it,” he said.

Mr Proctor said the impact of the crime could impact ongoing projects.

He also said he was able to identify and contact the individuals involved who showed no remorse.

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“We were able to work out who they were because they had obviously put it up all over TikTok and social media,” he said.

“I tried to explain to them that this was our livelihoods they were messing with and all they could say for themselves was sorry, but what can you do.”

The glass cabin of the excavator was destroyed and the interior covered in spray paint. Picture: Supplied

Ms Wilson said the level of youth crime hammering the region was disappointing.

“The issue here is youth crime and the fact that they are doing this for no apparent reason but to destroy something.”

Detective Acting Inspector Jason Chetham said the wanton destruction was “very disappointing”.

“It’s a senseless, appalling act,” he said. “We have a couple of suspects identified.”

Police investigations continue.

Originally published as $2.4m crane destroyed by vandals bragging in Snapchat videos