Vandals cause $60K in damage at construction site in Paradise Heights

= Vandals cause $60K in damage at construction site in Paradise Heights = by Jamarlo Phillips, Apopka Chief,

Monday, April 3, 2018

Paradise Heights, Fl — Vandals did more than $60,000 in damage to heavy equipment at a construction site on the Daniel Webster Western Beltway (i.e., State Road 429) over the weekend. Now, one contractor is offering a reward of $10,000 for information leading to an arrest

In all of his years working construction, Douglas Russell said he has never seen anything like it. Deputies said vandals entered a roadside construction area in the night. Sometime over the night, they damaged or destroyed many pieces of heavy equipment.

"I wish it was a good lovely world, but I mean I don't think we live in that kind of world today," mentioned Russell. "They tore up the excavator, and bashed up a pair of trailers parked beside it. Somehow they flipped the bulldozer clear over and just basically crushed the cabbin over," said Russell.

Construction crews saw the damage when they arrived at work on Monday.

"I wanted to make the community aware that this is a new subdivision and to let people know how vulnerable your stuff can be. Mine was in plain daylight, right here by the road with the street lights on and it was still ruined," said Russell.

"I wouldn't think that we would be targeted or have enemies of some sort. I don't have any disgruntled employees. We haven't had to fire anybody or anybody let go," Russell added.

"This is rough, it's hard work and we have to work like hell to get stuff like this made, buy stuff that is nice to work with, and to just have people destroy it for no reason is just sad. I almost would rather for them to steal it than to beat it up for no reason," Russell said.