Family-owned business ransacked and left ‘devastated’: $30,000 in damages and thefts

Heartless vandals have caused up to $30,000 of destruction at a worksite in northern Tasmania, leaving a family-owned construction business desperate to make a living “devastated”.

A FAMILY-OWNED construction business has been “devastated” by thieves and vandals who ransacked a Youngtown worksite causing up to $30,000 in damages and losses.

The destruction at the 217-lot subdivision at Oakden Park was discovered on Sunday morning.

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Several excavators and trucks had windows smashed, locks broken and their interiors pulled apart.

Two shipping containers were broken into, and copper wire, quick-cut saws and pipe lasers were among an “endless” list of property that was stolen.

Owner and managing director of Sheriff Civil Contracting, Jason Sheriff. The business was hit hard by thieves over the weekend. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Sheriff Civil Contracting managing director and owner Jason Sheriff said his worksites had experienced “minor instances” of fuel theft and office burglaries before, but nothing like this.

“They’ve just had blatant disregard for the equipment,” he said.

“Vandalism is probably how it’s best described.”

Mr Sheriff said one excavator had five windows smashed and another had three.

He said police were quick to attend the scene and “did all they could”.

“We are in pursuit of any CCTV footage that we may be able to get, and we’re onto a couple of leads there that may help us identify who was responsible,” Mr Sheriff said.

Last night in Raglan Street, Youngtown, some low life people decided to damage our equipment and break into our...

Posted by Sherriff Civil contracting on Saturday, 13 June 2020

Mr Sheriff said it was “disappointing” the thieves caused more damage than the value of the property they took.

“We’ve tried to look at it from every angle, and it appears the damage to the vehicles was to gain entry, and we’re of the view they were chasing keys to gain access to some of the houses under construction.”

Mr Sheriff said the cost to the business extended beyond the theft and damage.

“It’s as much about the down time to repair the equipment as it is the damage,’’ he said. “You’ve got good men who are unable to go about their daily job because the equipment they use has been damaged.

“[The culprits] just don’t get the impact it has to the people out there trying to make a living.”