A thoughtless act of vandalism against one of the city's most charitable organisations has deprived the community's most vulnerable residents of an essential service.
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On Monday afternoon staff from St Vincent de Paul Society discovered the Vinnies food van had been rendered undrivable after vandals cut away parts of the vehicle's exhaust.
St Vincent de Paul Society chief executive Lara Alexander confirmed the van had been damaged due to vandalism and expected the vehicle to be out of action for about two weeks.
"The van was supposed to be on the road [Monday tonight] delivering food and hot beverages to many people in need in and around the city. As a result of this cruel and thoughtless act, many disadvantaged families and individuals will be affected," she said.
Vinnies Van co-ordinator Erin Worth said up to 30 people including children and the elderly went without a hot meal on Monday as a result of the thoughtless act.
Ms Worth said the 2017 Toyota Hilux was parked in the car park adjacent to St Vincent De Paul in Mowbray behind a locked gate and in full view of security cameras when the act occurred.
She said the wires under the chassis were cut away and the catalytic converter, which forms part of the vehicle's exhaust, was cut at both ends and removed.
She said she never expected anyone would do something so callous and cause further harm to those most in need given the vehicle was clearly marked and was well known in the community.
Ms Alexander confirmed they had reached out to other community organisations, including The Salvation Army, while Vinnies waited for their vehicle to be repaired.
"We will look at other options to ensure the thoughtlessness of a few, does not affect the needs of the many people who rely on Vinnies Vans, every night in Launceston," she said.
She said it was very sad that people in the community thought it was fun to vandalise a vehicle, especially which helped vulnerable community members.
Tasmania Police have been made aware of the incident but could not provide further details.
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Andrew Chounding
An experienced multi-platform journalist focusing on the issues that impact health in Tasmania. With a background in social research and public policy, health reporting for Andrew is about ensuring the best health outcomes for the Northern Tasmanian community. Contact Andrew at: andrew.chounding@examiner.com.au or 0437 358 262
An experienced multi-platform journalist focusing on the issues that impact health in Tasmania. With a background in social research and public policy, health reporting for Andrew is about ensuring the best health outcomes for the Northern Tasmanian community. Contact Andrew at: andrew.chounding@examiner.com.au or 0437 358 262
