Kamo Fire Brigade appeals for help after fifth window smashing

Kamo Volunteer Fire Brigade has been repeatedly targeted by what is believed to be an alleged serial offender. Photo / Supplied

A Whangārei volunteer fire brigade has had its station windows smashed not once but five times.

Chief fire officer Barry Lapsley said the incidents at the Kamo Volunteer Brigade were wasting the time and energy of people there to serve the community.

The most recent attack was on April 12, when a man was captured on CCTV about 7am wearing a dark hoodie, blue jeans, bright green socks and slip-on footwear.

He was armed with what appeared to be a round spanner and was seen on CCTV smashing bathroom windows at the front of the station.

Kamo chief fire officer Barry Lapsley says he cannot understand why their volunteer station was a target. Photo / Brodie Stone

Previous incidents had also shown an individual on CCTV smashing the side door window, the front window of the watch room and the bathroom window.

The offender sometimes arrived armed with tools, Lapsley said.

Despite all the window smashing, they have never tried to enter the station.

But it was a small comfort considering the inconvenience caused, Lapsley said.

The fifth attack this year was the final straw for the brigade, which took to social media on Sunday to appeal for public help in finding the person responsible.

While the post garnered attention from far and wide, no leads have emerged.

Lapsley and the Kamo volunteers were at a loss as to why they were being targeted.

As of Tuesday, the station had attended 372 calls in the past calendar year, he said.

“So, 372 times we’ve responded to the needs of the community without these unnecessary interruptions.”

“We don’t know if we’ve upset somebody. We just try to keep the noise down to a minimum in the middle of the night so as not to interrupt the neighbours.”

Securing the station was an inconvenience each time it has happened, Lapsley said.

“It’s time-consuming and unnecessary.

The alleged offender smashed a window before heading off down the road on April 12. Photo / Supplied

“We can’t understand why somebody would target a group of people that are here to assist our local community and go out of their way to turn up in the middle of the night or whatever to meet those needs, and yet somebody’s doing [this] to us.”

Police want anyone with information about the incidents or who may have seen suspicious activity outside the Kamo Fire Station to contact 105, using reference number 250412/5666.

Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.