Vandals hit more building sites

By Sarah Schwager
VANDALS have run rampant at an estate under construction in Cranbourne North, causing thousands of dollars of damage.
The latest in a spate of vandal attacks and theft has left developers and builders reeling.
Cranbourne police said the vandals entered the building site of 63 units off Evans Road.
They then ran wild, destroying machinery and vandalising units.
Police said they had used a knife to cut through the rubber belt of a bricklaying conveyor.
They then cut through electrical leads on a cement mixer and smashed the seat of a forklift.
The vandals walked through six units, damaging freshly laid floor tiles.
In other units they threw paint across the walls and cut a one-metre hole in the carpet.
The garage of another unit was painted with graffiti, although police said the writing was illegible.
Two wheelbarrows were also stolen.
The incidents happened between 6pm on Wednesday, 2 August and 7am on Thursday, 3 August.
Last month, the News reported builders were fearful about the area after a series of thefts and destruction at building sites around Cranbourne and Lynbrook.
The Lynbrook Industrial Estate around Commercial Drive was hit by vandalism three times this year, the most recent attack causing $40,000 damage.
On 11 July, vandals smashed 80 windows on a factory under construction and destroyed machinery.
Builder Tony Costa, from TCC Vic Commercial Buildings, said he had never worked in such a bad area.
“They’ve caused so much damage it’s ridiculous and this is not the first time it’s happened either,” Mr Costa said.
On 26 June, three factories in the Lynbrook Industrial Estate were broken into and ransacked overnight, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.
The burglars took control of three boom-lift machines, valued at $150,000 each, which they rammed into cars, buildings, other machinery and boom gates.
Casey mayor Kevin Bradford said he was disappointed that vandalism was occurring around Cranbourne so frequently.
“Apart from causing unnecessary costs on the construction companies and in turn the businesses, they are also stopping or at least delaying employment op-portunities in the area, and that’s the greatest concern,” Cr Bradford said.
Witnesses should contact Senior Constable Steve Regnier at Cranbourne CIU on 5995 4577 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.