SMALL business owner Peter Moad says it’s tough enough running his own shop without the senseless activities of vandals adding to his costs.
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In the early hours of Saturday, January 25, vandals threw an empty beer keg through the front window of his business, March Street Pet Foods, breaking a plate-glass window that will cost around $2500 to $3000 to replace.
Despite the premises being insured, Mr Moad will have to pay around a $500 excess.
“It’s still going to cost me money and it hasn’t been replaced yet, I’m going to have to wait until Friday,” he said.
In the meantime Mr Moad has placed plywood over the front of his shop to ensure it remains secure.
“I think they must have just picked up the beer keg at a nearby pub and got sick of carrying it so decided to throw it through the window,” he said.
It’s not the first time the business has been targeted by vandals.
Four months ago the front door of March Street Pet Foods was kicked in and on another occasion vandals painted graffiti on an outside wall.
“It’s very destructive,” he said.
“I get very cranky ... it’s tough in business at the moment and now I’ve got excess costs I’ve got to pay out.
“At the end of the day I’m just trying to minimise my costs as much as I can.”
Mr Moad now plans to install security cameras which he estimates will cost at least $300.
He said he didn’t think vandals had any idea how their actions impacted on others.
“I think it’s a bit of a joke to them,” he said.
Despite being in business for the past 11 years, Mr Moad said vandalism had increased in recent months.
“I know they’ve also been breaking letterboxes in the street as well ... they’re idiots,” he said.
tracey.prisk@fairfaxmedia.com.au