After gaining entry by breaking a glass door, offenders allegedly used a dry powder fire extinguisher to vandalise the Weipa Servicentre at Rocky Point on 2 April. Photo: Supplied.
The owner of the Weipa Servicentre says he is facing a bill of “tens of thousands” of dollars after the Rocky Point business was broken into and vandalised on 2 April.
The same vehicle that crashed into the Golf Links Estate residence was allegedly used in the incident, with the actions of offenders causing the service station to remain closed for four days as staff undertook a massive clean-up.
Business director Richard Ireland said offenders had discharged a dry powder fire extinguisher inside the business, meaning the majority of stock had to be dumped as part of the clean-up effort.
“All of the stock that was touched by the fire extinguisher has to be destroyed; it can’t be sold,” he said.
“All the electronics will need to be replaced, we expect, because the [dry] powder is corrosive; it can be a fire risk, so we had to replace that.”
Mr Ireland said the clean-up and loss of four days’ trade would leave him with a bill he admitted he was yet to get his head around.
“Just in damage alone it’s tens of thousands of dollars; I haven’t got a fix on that at the moment,” he said.
“No matter what happens with insurance, you’re out of pocket to some extent.
“I’m expecting to be out of pocket tens of thousands.”
Staff have had to dump cubic metres of stock after it was touched by a dry powder fire extinguisher allegedly discharged during a break-in at the Boundary Road service station last week. Photo: Supplied.
Police have confirmed three Napranum teenagers had been charged over a range of alleged offences, including the service station break-in, but a frustrated Mr Ireland said enough was enough.
“It’s a debacle, it’s just a debacle,” he said.
“It’s totally [a rinse and repeat] situation; I feel sorry for the police, to be honest, because they’re between a rock and a hard place.
“Really, it’s something the extended families of these people need to step up and sort out; sort the parents out; sort the kids out.”
Police allege offenders used this Toyota Prado, stolen from a Weipa business, was used during the break-in at the Weipa Servicentre at Rocky Point on 2 April. Photo: Supplied.
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