Vandals smash cheer

By Paul Dunlop
A BEACONSFIELD couple who draped their home in decorations was left to question the spirit of Christmas after vandals destroyed their festive cheer.
Sue Bryer and husband Nigel were devastated when they awoke on Tuesday morning to find weeks of preparation and thousands of dollars in decorations ruined overnight.
Decorations including a blowup Santa, reindeer and sleigh and other festive features were slashed and broken and other items stolen in what Mrs Bryer said was a wanton and shocking attack.
After two other, less serious, incidents during the festive season, the latest assault has prompted the Bryers to reassess whether they will decorate their home next year.
“It just doesn’t make sense to me,” Mrs Bryer said.
“This is our second year in the area. We decorated the house last year and this year we went all out.”
The Bryers spent an estimated $4000 to $5000 on Christmas lights and other decorations including several lifesized festive figures that took pride of place around their Timberside Drive home.
The attack occurred the night before the Bryers had planned to take the decorations down.
“We had had people knocking on our door, saying how fantastic it looked. To have this happen is really upsetting. I don’t know whether we will do it again if this is going to be the result,” Mrs Bryer said.
With their four children grown up and living away from home, the Bryers said they decorated their house for the community, not for themselves.
Mrs Bryer said their house was even designed with Christmas decorations in mind and said the shining lights and other festive flourishes could be seen from far away.
“We spent three weeks decorating the house and yard, we don’t have children at home any more so we do it for others to enjoy.
“Everybody in the street had said how good it was. We used to live in Dandenong and not once were our decorations destroyed like this.
“We moved to Beaconsfield expecting it to be quieter, but now this happens.”
The Bryers have reported the vandalism to police.
Mrs Bryer said she believed the intruders might have been scared off by the couple’s German shepherd dog.
“The strange thing is that they could have simply unplugged the cords and taken the things away, but they’ve ripped and cut them off so they won’t be much good anyway.
“This has certainly soured Christmas for us.”
Anybody with any information is urged to contact Pakenham Police on 5941 1033.