Car owners left counting cost of damage after widespread vandalism

Litia Tautua is finding it hard to forget the sound her vehicle’s rear windscreen made as it fell into the boot of her car.

Leaving her parents’ house in Timaru’s Woodlands Rd on Sunday night, it took her several seconds to realise the loud noise she heard coming from the back of the car was glass falling and shattering.

Tautua’s was one of at least 36 vehicles reported to police as damaged in Timaru in the past week – a common theme the hand-sized, smooth river rocks that were used in the majority of the incidents.

The vandalism is keeping Timaru windscreen repairers busy, with one reporting 10 vehicles through the business since Monday when “the flood gates opened’’.

READ MORE:
* Santa in the suburbs alternative to parade unlikely due to red tape
* CPlay committee sets target for completion of new playground
* Timaru’s CPlay project gets expert help for next step

Tautua said it had tainted her image of the town she had lived in for 26 years, and left her questioning what it would have been like if her children were in the car at the time.

“It’s got to the point I haven’t visited my parents since it happened because I’m scared, and I’m really protective of my kids.’’

She said she had taken family members to the supermarket about 7.30pm on the night of the incident.

About 8.30pm she got into her car to drive home, when she thought there was someone in the back of her vehicle.

“It was dark, and I just jumped in the car and took off and then heard the shattering.

“I looked in the mirror and could see bits of glass falling. I was just so shocked.’’

The glass had fallen in the seven-seater vehicle where her family members had sat only an hour earlier, she said.

“That made me cry.

“I just thought ‘imagine if my kids had been in there’.’’

It was not until she went to windscreen repair business Glass Specialists that she realised she was not the only vehicle owner whose vehicle had been vandalised.

“When I contacted them on Monday morning they had already spoken to three other people about windscreens being smashed.’’

The vehicle was not insured, and could not be fixed until next week, leaving Tautua $460 out of pocket and inconvenienced.

“I’ve had to take time out of work to sort this out, and I’ve still had to get my two kids to school.’’

Working in Pareora, she had also had to rely on the kindness of others to get to work.

“We work hard for what we get, and some of us are living from pay cheque to pay cheque, and we’re just trying to get our kids to school and get by.

“The cost of living is increasing, and it’s bad enough as it is, things are tough already.’’

Timaru councillor and radio host Owen “OJ” Jackson said similar damage to his uninsured car had left him $1400 out of pocket.

Glass Specialists automotive manager Chris Todd said the company has been booking the vehicles through its emergency setup, so the jobs could be pushed through with as little delay as possible.

“We’ve certainly noticed an increase in the number of vehicles coming in with smashed rear windscreens,’’ Todd said.

He said several of the vehicles did not have insurance because of hail damage, meaning customers were left out of pocket following a mindless act.

“The rock is still in the car in some cases and about the size of a cricket ball, if not larger.’’

Senior Constable Jeff Brown, of Timaru, confirmed on Thursday police had received reports of 36 vehicles being damaged around the town this week.

He was unavailable for comment on Friday.

Earlier in the week, a police spokesperson confirmed a vehicle of interest, a yellow Toyota Altezza was believed to be involved following a review of CCTV footage.

At the time, they said the damage to the vehicles was predominantly to the windows, and nothing had been reported stolen from the damaged vehicles.

The incidents spanned the length of Timaru including the suburbs of Marchwiel and Gleniti, and Wai-iti Rd, Otipua Rd, Pages Rd and Spring Rd.

A Timaru resident, who Stuff agreed not to name, said he believed CCTV footage from his home clearly captured the rear window of his neighbour’s car being smashed, including audio of the breakage, on Sunday night.

“You can hear them smash something else, just down the road,” he said of the footage.

He said he had installed the cameras, which picked up a lot of detail and sound, after being burgled.

Police advised people to park off the street, park in well-lit areas and remove valuables from within vehicles.

Anyone with information could call 105, or make a report online at 105.police.govt.nz.