Owners left fuming after cars marked
SCRATCH ATTACK: Hanby Welding and Engineering business manager Deanna Hanby inspects one of three employee's cars that were vandalised in front of the business.
A PORTSMITH business boss has slammed the actions of a man who allegedly vandalised more than a dozen cars in the area as “heartless and cowardly” as vehicle owners face thousands of dollars in damage bills.
Police have alleged 35-yearold Portsmith man Simon Bryce used a sharp object to scratch at least 14 cars on Kenny and Fearnley Sts while walking his dog in the area on November 18 and 19.
He was busted after he allegedly keyed the car of a local worker who was inside his vehicle at the time eating lunch.
A police spokesman said they were contacted by a number of witnesses and attended before taking the man into custody.
Hanby Welding and Engineering business manager Deanna Hanby said three of their employees had their vehicles scratched.
“You feel bad for your employees because that’s a day’s wages blown on their vehicle excesses,” she said.
“I just can’t understand the mentality. Why do that?
“You’re not getting any gratification from it because you’re not going to see how upset we are.
“It’s really obnoxious.”
It is understood a number of the other victims were customers of a nearby mechanic whose vehicles were parked outside and staff at a neighbouring engineering company.
Mr Bryce appeared in the Cairns Magistrates Court yesterday facing 14 counts of wilful damage.
Defence solicitor Linda Cho said her client suffered from bipolar and remembered taking the dog for a walk, but nothing after that.
The court heard he lived on Kenny St near where the alleged offending occurred.
Magistrate Alan Comans granted him bail and adjourned the case until December 20.