Fury at smashing spree

DISGUSTED: Owner of Mobility Wairarapa Steve Taylor boarded up his smashed front window. "It could have been quite dangerous," he said.

A mental health patient who went on a window-smashing rampage over the weekend has "thoroughly sickened" Masterton shop owners.

The 49-year-old man took to the windows of Credit Union, Cartridge World, Dick Smith, Westpac, Mobility Wairarapa and Video 2001, in Queen St, with a hammer and was arrested by police at about 3.30am on Sunday morning.

Cartridge World manager Clive Comrie said the man's actions were "just wanton vandalism".

"I was pretty disgusted.

"There was glass from the front of the shop to the back, it was very dangerous because it's hardened glass."

It took Mr Comrie more than two hours to clean up the mess and he is now facing an estimated $500 bill for the excess on his insurance.

"He'll [the man responsible] probably get told to pay it back at five cents a week," Mr Comrie said.

Mobility Wairarapa owner Steve Taylor said he arrived at his shop at about 8.30am on Sunday and discovered the broken window.

"I was pretty disgusted by the whole thing that somebody could come and randomly smash windows up town.

"What was left was really sharp, jagged glass, it could have been quite dangerous to anyone coming by."

Mr Taylor said he was also annoyed he was not notified sooner.

"The bank had patches [over it's window] but no one bothered to tell us that our shops had been smashed, the police were pretty much on the scene straight away.

"It's quite disappointing, if something goes missing from here it's pretty hard to deal with."

He's now left with a hole in the window and says he just hopes "justice" will be done.

"People have still got to think, no matter what condition they are (in), as to what they are doing."

Police said the man had been released into the care of mental health authorities.