Hikuwai developer Lee Brown is confused as to why a group of uniformed individuals, believed to be from Mount Aspiring College, would target both his vehicle and a nearby storage building.
"You’ve just done a whole bunch of damage," Mr Brown said.
"Why? I just don’t understand the logic."
Two eyewitnesses told Mr Brown they saw a group of children on his property smoking cigarettes and behaving erratically beside the bus located on a compound in the Hikuwai Subdivision.
The witnesses could not agree on the number of boys involved but believed there were between six and eight present.
The bus and building had windows broken, walls covered in graffiti and paint cans tipped over.
"Effectively what they have done is stashed their bikes in the kanuka, jumped the fence, taken to my bus with a hammer, got inside it, smashed what they could — the TV was ripped off the wall — they tipped sunlight liquid all over the place and got into a building next door to the bus," Mr Brown said.
"We had a whole bunch of paint cans stored in the cupboard there, which they proceeded to open as many as they could and tip it all over the floors, walls and the stuff that was stored in there," Mr Brown said.
The vandals also set fire to a sponge inside the bus’ built-in shower.
He would like to find the culprits and see them held accountable for their actions, he said.
"If I could get in front of these kids and get in front of their parents and see if they wouldn't mind fixing up some of the damage the little rascals have done.
"That would be awesome but I am not holding my breath.
"We seem to live in a society where they should probably bring back some boot camps for some of these young juveniles who can do whatever the hell they like with no consequences.
"It would be nice to grab my 20-tonne digger and just crush their bikes."
The bus had sentimental value because it was his home for a decade, Mr Brown said.
It was to be used as free accommodation for someone in need, but now was likely to be written off, he said.
"We were getting it organised for someone who is finding it hard to get accommodation around here.
"It is probably going to write that thing off ... The person I said could have it ... is now going to be without anywhere to live because of some senseless vandalism from some young punks."
This was not the first act of vandalism that Mr Brown had experienced on his property.
In 2021, Mount Aspiring College pupils caused thousands of dollars in damage to his land, and trashing his friend’s van.
Mount Aspiring College principal Nicola Jacobsen said she was confident the culprits would be found.
The police said an investigation to identify and locate those responsible was under way.
Anyone who has information is asked to contact police.
- By Milo Long and Regan Harris
