Wild footage has emerged of a hammer-wielding man in hi-vis decimating a real estate agency’s windows, causing $80,000 in damage.
The incident unfolded in Launceston, Tasmania, at around 4:30pm on Monday.
Tasmania Police later confirmed the arrest of a 28-year-old man from Newnham, a nearby suburb.
He was charged with offences relating to wilfully damaging the shopfront windows of The Agency Real Estate office on Cimitiere Street.
The footage, shared by Pulse Hobart, shows the man swinging at the windows with a hammer from the inside before hitting them again from the outside.
Pictures from the scene later showed all the businesses’ windows boarded up with plywood.
On Thursday, The Agency told its customers: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, access to our office is currently limited”.
According to Tasmania Police, the rampage took place while the office was open for business, with several employees inside the premises.
Police allege the man maliciously used the hammer to shatter multiple large plate glass windows and a glass electric door at the building’s facade.
The damage sustained is estimated to be around $80,000 due to the size and structural complexity of the windows.
No physical injuries were reported during the incident.
Police described what occurred as a “deliberate act of vandalism” but an isolated occurrence.
They said it appeared that the individual allegedly responsible was familiar to the Real Estate business’ staff.
He has been granted bail and is scheduled to appear in The Launceston Magistrates Court in December.