Big clean up as police hunt shop vandals

Police are seeking the culprits behind a vandalism spree that left dozens of windows smashed by stones, bricks and sticks at 19 businesses in Wairoa early yesterday.

The damage has left business owners out of pocket and wondering "why me?"

Businesses targeted by the vandals were primarily on Marine Parade and Queen St and included the Ngati Kahungunu office, the Plunket rooms, Mitre 10, The Wairoa Star, Hind Furnishers as well as some homes.

Wairoa Police Constable Nicky Davies said the smashing spree occurred between 4.30 and 5.30am yesterday, and police were hoping CCTV footage would help in finding the culprits.

"We are hoping CCTVs at ATM machines and shops will have some good footage."

The incident was not thought to be gang related.

When Hawke's Bay Today visited yesterday, business owners were busy cleaning up broken glass and boarding up windows until local glaziers were available to replace panes. In some cases whole shop fronts were boarded up.

Plunket nurse Saane Prieditis said she arrived at work to find three large holes in the windows of one of the offices, as well as pieces of brick and broken glass strewn everywhere.

"I don't understand why they did it to a place where babies and mothers come to," Ms Prieditis said. "It's very low."

An employee at Hind Furnishers said hardly any shops went untouched, and the acts were "pathetic".

"People are wandering around looking at it and saying 'oh you too'," she said. "The brick made quite a big hole and our stock has been damaged."

The Owner of Mitre 10, Paul Johansen, had two of the windows in his store damaged and said it was the worst vandalism the town had endured recently.

"We haven't had anything like this in a very long time," he said. "It's just annoying. The town is doing very well at the moment."