A BATHURST family got a huge surprise this week when they returned home from a holiday in Western Australia to find their Toyota Lite Ace, affectionately known as Phoebe, tipped on her side.
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The family, who did not wish to be named, said the van was parked on a grass reserve off Eglinton Road, near the Abercrombie Drive turn off.
The van was advertised for sale. It was discovered tipped on its side and with large dints in the roof on Monday morning.
The family said the van appeared to have fallen prey to vandals. They expressed their disappointment that people would be so disrespectful to other people’s property.
They said the van was now undriveable.
The owners did not contact police as the van is very old, but said damaging a car was unacceptable regardless of its age.
The attack was one of several malicious damages to have occurred on cars for sale on the side of the road.
Duty officer with Chifley local area command Inspector Mark Wall said parking and leaving a vehicle for sale on a stretch of road was not safe.
In February alone, police received several reports of malicious damage, mostly occurring overnight to vehicles parked in Hereford Street.
Inspector Wall said there were risks with leaving a vehicle for sale by the side of the road.
“If people drive past and see a person looking in a car or walking around a car that’s for sale, they assume they are just there having a look at the car,” he said.
But in reality, the person’s actions may be more sinister, Inspector Wall said.
“It’s creating an opportunity for crime,” he said. “People can come and have a look at the car, see what’s in it and what they can steal.”
He said if people insisted on selling their vehicles by the side of the road, they should: not leave it unattended overnight; ensure the vehicle is secure; and not leave anything of value in the vehicle.
He said people leaving their car by the roadside, even in daylight, were putting their property in danger of being damaged, vandalised or broken into.
“If someone was seen wondering around looking in the windows of cars parked in a car park, the police would be called,” he said. “When it’s by the side of the road and for sale, it doesn’t raise people’s suspicions.
“Leaving a car unattended is just providing criminals with the opportunity [to act].”
DAMAGED: This old Toyota van was one of several cars to be damaged by vandals in February, after being left by the side of the road to be sold. This van was jumped on before being tipped on its side. 022613van
