Fear after rock thrown

Beryl Wilkinson with the rock that smashed a window and Robert Smith who helps older people with safety and security. Photo / John Stone

A Whangarei organisation helping older people and struggling for funds has been targeted by vandals again - this time a rock was thrown through a window.

Whangarei's Age Concern president Beryl Wilkinson discovered the damage on Monday when she went into work at the office in Manse St.

Two rocks, one the size of a fist, were thrown through a main window of the conference room with such force that one continued on and slammed into a wall, leaving a hole.

"There was a whopper stone that's caused so much damage," Mrs Wilkinson said.

The centre was hit by thieves earlier this year when they broke in and stole a money box.

And over the last two years there have been a number of smashed windows.

The insurance excess for the property was now so high Mrs Wilkinson expected they would have to pay for the cost of the latest repairs.

"It's extremely disappointing that people have nothing better to do.

"This is wilful damage of others' property and hitting an organisation that has no money. Now we have to divert money for services for older people in the community to pay for the damage. It's so wasteful and unnecessary."

She said the incident had shaken her feeling of safety. "I feel unsafe again and come to work each day anticipating problems. What I'm fearful of was one of my staff members could have been sitting in that room and they could have been hit with a rock."