A Melbourne man allegedly went on a crime spree with two teenage boys where they used a slingshot to shoot marbles out of a car, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage.
A Melbourne man allegedly went on a crime spree with two teenage boys where they used a slingshot to shoot marbles out of a car, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage.
By Melissa Cunningham
January 20, 2025 — 3.10pm
A man who allegedly drove two teenagers around Melbourne while they used slingshots and marbles to shatter the windows of apartments and businesses, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, went along with the crime spree because he was trying to impress the boys, a court has heard.
The trio allegedly targeted Melbourne’s Jetstar headquarters in Collingwood, a spate of boutique apartments, a Boost juice store in South Yarra and a 24-hour gym in Bentleigh East, which had patrons inside it when a glass window shattered one evening.
Sam Chadwick, of Cheltenham, faced the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with a spate of vandalism charges allegedly committed over a period of more than 60 days, when police allege he and the two teenage boys were driving around the city at night.
The 50-year-old and two teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are accused of using a slingshot to fire marbles at buildings in Bentleigh, Collingwood, Cremorne, Docklands, Mentone, Richmond, South Yarra and St Kilda between October and December 2023.
Chadwick’s lawyer, Patrick Coleridge, told the hearing his client had had a traumatic childhood, which included violence and abuse.
He said his client had no criminal history and described it as “very unusual” and “almost amusing” that a person of his age without any priors would then find themselves involved in such an “extraordinary spate of offending”.
Coleridge told the court experienced forensic phycologist Patrick Newton, who had examined Chadwick, formed the view his motive for the alleged offending could be traced back to his experiences as a child and a desire to seek approval and admiration from the teenagers.
“[Newton] has been able to identify what he believes to be the causes of the offending, but also with some optimism, he expresses his view about Mr Chadwick’s prospects for rehabilitation,” Coleridge said.
He said Chadwick at times during the alleged crime spree told the younger males to stop, but conceded at other times he had appeared to ignore what they were doing or even laughed along with them.
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“He wanted to achieve the approval of the boys… He overly identified with the kids and wanted to be one of the boys,” Coleridge said. “He has acknowledged his moral compass was off.”
Police initially said the trio had caused more than $1 million in damage, but the court heard on Monday that several charges had since been struck out and the damage bill was now estimated to be about $234,600.
The prosecution read out 11 pages of alleged offences, including allegations Chadwick had driven to Collingwood on the same night the gym in Bentleigh was targeted.
Police allege Chadwick drove past a cycling shop on Wellington Street before a projectile was fired out the window, shattering the front door of the store, and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.
Five days later, the trio are accused of travelling to the Victoria & Vine apartments on Wellington Street in Collingwood, where police allege they destroyed three glass windows after shooting marbles at the complex out of a rear window.
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Days later, on October 26, they are accused of targeting the Jetstar head office in Collingwood on Wellington Street.
Police said CCTV showed a black Nissan Pulsar drive past the budget airline complex as a projectile was launched, which smashed the front doors of the building causing almost $53,000 worth of damage.
The court heard that in early November 2023, the trio allegedly returned to the Victoria & Vine apartments on Wellington Street and shot more marbles at them. Prosecutors said the vandalism had caused more than $30,000 worth of damage to the buildings.
On November 10, 2023, the trio are accused of targeting a Boost Juice store in South Yarra, where marbles were allegedly flung out the window as their car drove past, destroying a glass window at the front of the store and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.
They also are accused of targeting the Royal Albert apartments on Queens Road, causing more than $2500 worth of damage and destroying the front glass windows of The Quays apartments, causing more than $15,000 in damage.
They also allegedly smashed the windows of a Woolworths in Black Rock, causing almost $12,000 worth of damage, and an apartment building in Docklands, causing almost $46,000 worth of damage, in December 2023. Several banks and a fish and chip shop were also targeted.
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Police attended Chadwick’s home on December 13, seizing several large marbles and slingshots, fireworks, glass pebbles and 17 cannabis plants.
Coleridge told the court his client’s lack of criminal history should be considered during sentencing and the fact that he was driving the car and not shooting the projectiles.
Magistrate Belinda Wallington said Chadwick’s alleged offending showed an extraordinary lack of maturity and responsibility. Chadwick will appear in court again next month.
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Melissa Cunningham is a crime and justice reporter for The Age. She has previously covered health.Connect via Twitter or email.
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