We have seen plenty of vandalism involving automobiles but a new case coming from Australia is unusual in terms of scale. An unidentified man armed with an axe smashed the windscreens and other body panels of around 20 vehicles in three separate dealerships, causing an estimated AU$100,000 (about US$65,000 at current exchange rates) worth of damage.
The incident took place in Glen Waverley, a southeastern suburb of Melbourne. It was around 6 o’clock in the morning of Thursday, November 2, when the suspect started smashing cars in a Mazda dealership on Springvale Road. A few minutes later he attacked several vehicles in the parking lot of a BMW dealer – including a white i8 sportscar, a brand-new X1, and at least two X3 SUVs. The suspect concluded his vandalism spree by damaging a few more trucks at a nearby Toyota dealer.
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It is not known why the man specifically targeted the Mazda, BMW, and Toyota dealers, ignoring others nearby. Employees who spoke on Australian TV channels were puzzled by this unusual behavior and couldn’t discern a possible motive.
CCTV footage shows the suspect driving an old Toyota Avalon but the police report suggests he fled the scene on foot. The man is about 175 cm (5.74 feet) tall with black curly hair. He can be seen wearing a tan hoodie, matching pants, and slide shoes. The Victoria Police and the Monash Crime Investigation Unit made an open call for anyone with additional information, CCTV, or dashcam footage that could help them identify the suspect and bring him to justice.