Vandals target dealership

A car dealer is counting the cost of ongoing vandalism from residents of a neighbouring apartment building who have allegedly pelted vehicles at his yard with food and damaged a windscreen after shooting an air rifle.

Shirzay Faqeeri, also known as Ali, opened NZ4X4S in Glen Eden, Auckland, in August but the business has been beset with problems and he has called police at least 10 times.

He told the NZ Herald that food items such as apples, potatoes and even a frozen chicken had been thrown at vehicles and staff from the apartment block with the damage including chipped windscreens, scuffed paint and dented bonnets.

Besides having to spend thousands of dollars on repairs, Faqeeri adds he has also spent a similar amount on security cameras to try to capture the incidents.

He has bolstered the site’s security following advice from police and says there are now about 20 cameras “throughout the yard”.

The NZ Herald reports the dealer has a number of videos that show items being thrown from the balconies next to his business.

Faqeeri says vehicle windscreens have been “chipped, broken and shattered” in the incidents and he recently contacted police after one was allegedly shot by an air rifle.

A few months ago he lodged a complaint with Home In Place, a community housing provider that manages 90 public housing units at the apartment building that also has 77 privately owned units

Chris Trypas, chief executive of Home In Place, told the NZ Herald his company issued a “precautionary notice” to all tenancies under its management after the complaint but claims there was insufficient evidence to justify a breach notice.

Faqeeri is keen to peacefully resolve the problems with his neighbours but he wants to see police take more action to stop the vandalism because “we’re feeling unsafe”.

Police told the NZ Herald they would contact the dealer once an investigation was under way.