Vandals break hearts in Matata

Jenny Maloney in her parents' vandalised house at Matata. Picture / Alan Gibson

Jenny Maloney came back from England to support her parents after their home was destroyed in the May floods and landslides at Matata.

This week, the 24-year-old teacher has seen their suffering increase after three young vandals tore through the shell of the brick house in the coastal Bay of Plenty town, killing the family's hopes of salvaging anything from the remains.

Ms Maloney said the masses of mud and debris that burst through the walls on May 18 had caused her parents heartache enough, but they had taken comfort in plans to salvage intact windows and fittings.

Now, those windows and fittings lie smashed on the ground, victim to three local boys hell-bent on destruction.

"The last thing they [my parents] had is gone," Ms Maloney said yesterday.

"That to me is really upsetting, to see them kicked while they are down."

Her parents, Wayne and Susan Maloney, arrived at the house on Sunday to find the boys smashing the last of 22 windows. The trio, aged 14 to 16, had already attacked the walls and ripped Batts from the ceiling.

Mr and Mrs Maloney managed to grab one of the boys, but the other two ran off.

They were later found by police, who said all three were Matata residents and had been referred to Youth Aid.

Mr Maloney said it was disappointing to learn they were locals.

"The biggest threat in the community is not hardened criminals, it's kids."

The boys' parents have agreed that the youngsters will help to clean up the mess, after another of Mr Maloney's five children, Anne, called them to express her concern about what had happened.

Whakatane police said the punishment was something agreed upon by the families, but was not at their request.

Police said they were not aware of other incidents of vandalism in the town, despite reports from residents that a fireplace had been stolen from one ruined home and corrugated iron ripped away from others that had been boarded up.