Left and right:Damage to the house in Berwick.By Callan Date
VANDALS wreaked havoc on a newly built Berwick house recently, only days before the owners were scheduled to move in.
About $40,000 damage was caused to the Bellbird Park Estate property sometime on Saturday 5 January or the following day.
Litres of paint were splattered across the house’s cream walls and carpet, shower screens and mirrors were scratched, holes were punched in several plaster walls and carpet was pulled back in several rooms during the rampage.
Owner Rebecca Bendix said she was shattered upon hearing the news about her Metricon built house being broken into and trashed.
Ms Bendix said she had chosen Berwick as the ideal spot to bring up a young family but was now having second thoughts about the move.
“We are not from the area and we are moving here to raise a family. I have a young daughter and another baby on the way and we are quite upset,” she said.
Fortunately for the Bendix family, they will not have to foot the damage bill as they had not officially taken control of the property.
“The fact that we were so close to moving in is really frustrating.”
Ms Bendix said she believed the damage was done by children.
“These kids must have come home covered in paint. I just think that some parents may have noticed their children’s clothes covered in paint after this happened,” she said.
Metricon general manager of marketing Darren Mehl said all houses handed over by the company are built to the highest of standards.
“When we were notified about Rebecca’s home being vandalised, our site manager was on the case, ensuring that Rebecca could move into her home as she dreamed it would be,” Mr Mehl said.
Ms Bendix said tradesmen and cleaners were being hired to fix the damage, with the family hoping to move in by the end of the next week.
Casey Crime Investigation Unit Detective Senior Constable Paul Stow said police were investigating the incident.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Narre Warren Police on 9705 3114.
