Public beach steps in Lauderdale have been destroyed by vandals allegedly using a chainsaw, with one perpetrator leaving behind their jacket and mobile phone at the scene.
Author Lian Tanner discovered the damaged stairs at the bottom of her street and shared photos on social media showing the steps had been cut through.
“I assumed they were drunk, because one of them left his jacket with his phone in the pocket,” Tanner said.
“The level of stupidity is mind blowing.”
The same stairs were previously damaged when someone drove a steamroller into them in March last year.
The steamroller was taken from a construction site on Mannata Street before being driven through local streets and onto the beach destroying the stairs.
Clarence City Council Mayor Brendan Blomeley said Tasmania Police are investigating the latest incident, which occurred over the long weekend.
“It is clearly very disappointing for the community,” he said.
“It costs ratepayers money now to obviously organise a replacement there of the stairs.”
Blomeley described the vandalism as “senseless” and said it would cost “many thousands of dollars” to repair.
“It’s the kind of stuff we can do without,” he said.
The mayor said council would need to make the area safe and organise replacement stairs.
Police are examining evidence left at the scene, including what appears to be a chainsaw and personal belongings.
“I would just encourage people, if they do have any information, to please either contact Tasmania Police or go via Crime Stoppers anonymously to assist the police with their inquiries,” Blomeley said.
“This sort of behaviour is not welcome in our city.”
Anyone with information in relation to the matter is asked to contact Bellerive Police on 131 444 and quote ESCAD 37-07042026.
Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers Tasmania.
