A vandal has caused
thousands of dollars in damage to construction equipment at the Mainstreet
nursing home work site at 2775 Village Point in Coffee Creek Center,
Chesterton Police said.
According to
police, sometime between 3 p.m. Monday and 9:30 a.m. Tuesday the vandal--or
vandals--damaged equipment owned or being operated by the general
contractor, Tonn & Blank; a subcontractor, R V Sutton Inc.; and NIPSCO:
* All four windows
were broken on a New Holland Skid Steer--a Bobcat-style loader--being used
by Tonn & Blank. Estimated damage: $1,500.
* The vandal
started a backhoe owned by R V Sutton and then slammed its bucket “several
times” into the side of a Kawasaki payloader next to it. Three areas on the
left side of the payloader were “caved in,” while three of the payloader’s
windows, both of its taillights, and one headlight were also broken.
Estimated damage: $20,000.
* In addition, two
window on R V Sutton’s Caterpillar bulldozer were broken, including the
cab’s windshield, “where it was struck by a BB from a BB gun or like
object.” Estimated damage: $1,500.
* The vandal also
broke a window on NIPSCO’s John Deere backhoe and discharged a fire
extinguisher kept on board the backhoe. Estimated damage: $250.
Total estimated
damage: $21,750.