VANDALISM & COMMUNITY SPIRIT

The generosity of strangers has gone some way to restoring a young man’s faith in the community after his car was vandalised.

Jacob Gnech had done the right thing by others when mechanical issues struck his car on 10 March but others did not do the right thing by him.

The Hyundai Tiburon which he bought second-hand six years ago was maliciously damaged while parked on the side of Yabba Creek Road, west of Imbil, for just over 24 hours.

The vandalism left Jacob, 22, who is working and studying fulltime, without transport and out of pocket.

His problems began when a wallaby jumped into the path of his car when he was on his way from Bella Creek to work at a Yandina factory at about 4am, forcing him to brake suddenly.

After pulling over to check on the wallaby, which had jumped away, and on panel damage, which was negligible, he continued on his way but not for long.

“I was going downhill and the car was slowing down. I pulled over and could smell smoke – the brakes had locked up,” he said.

Jacob arranged a lift home and left the car locked by the side of the road with the hazard lights on out of courtesy and for the safety of other drivers. He arranged alternative transport, made it to work a few hours late and returned to the car the next morning with a mechanic and a trailer but was gutted by what he found.

“There was a smashed rear window, and the passenger window, and it looked like they’d spread leather cleaner over the paintwork,” he said. The bonnet had also been popped and it looked as if the culprit or culprits might have intended stealing the car but became frustrated when an engine immobiliser prevented them from starting the vehicle. Jacob was gutted.

As an under 25 driver, comprehensive insurance on the vehicle had been too expensive and it would take him months to save the money to fix it.

“I would have been able to afford the brakes. That, I could do. But the with the windows, it was just too much,” he said.

Jacob has been borrowing his mum’s car to drive to work from Bella Creek to Yandina but it has been a juggling act for both.

Landlord and neighbour Debra Watson witnessed the impact the episode had on Jacob.

“It’s just sad that it happened so close to us. I wouldn’t think that anyone around here would behave in such a disgusting manner,” she said.Debra organised a GoFundMe online fundraiser, hoping it would do more than just help Jacob get his car back on the road and restore his independence.

“I wanted to show him that the majority of people are good people. He’s had some other personal knocks in the last couple of years and the last thing he needed was this to happen to him.

“I wanted to restore his faith in people.”

Just under $800 had been donated at the time of publication. Jacob is hopeful of sourcing second-hand windows to replace those that have been smashed and that he can clean-up the paint work.

His father has bought a brake kit which they hope to fit and Jacob intends to pay him back over time. Although initially embarrassed about the GoFundMe fundraiser, Jacob said support he had received had made a big difference. “It’s very kind of all the people who have left comments and donated,” he said.

Jacob is also grateful to mechanic James Maden, of Maden Approved Designs, who was with him when he discovered the damage to his car and towed it home for him at no charge. Another business also made contact offering assistance to get Jacob back on the road but at this stage, he hopes to be able to handle the repairs with his father.

Donate to the GoFundMe campaign at https://www. gofundme.com Search “Let’s get Jacob back on the road”.