War veterans are meant to be some of the most respected people in our society, but the message seems to be lost on a group of people who continue to terrorise Frederick Griffiths at his Gold Coast home.
Appearing on A Current Affair on Friday, Frederick, 97, explained that his house in the suburb of Paradise Point has become a target for vandals in the area. Despite fighting in wars, he is now fearing for his life in his own home.
It’s become a common occurrence for Frederick to find faeces smeared all over his windows and letterbox when he wakes up in the morning. He called the act shameful and said that anyone who did these sorts of things didn’t have any shame.
Three weeks earlier, a jar of paint was thrown up his driveway, ruining it and leaving broken glass everywhere. Griffiths also claimed that his front lawn had been poisoned.
“They’re unspeakable, people don’t do that,” Frederick explained of the attacks on his home.
Unfortunately for Frederick, his son, Grant, lives around 1000 kilometres away in Sydney and isn’t always able to assist. He does keep a log of everything that has happened to his father.
“He’s been getting hate mail as well,” Grant explained. “Stuff put in his letterbox. Calling him a fa**** and this kind of thing.”
The police have been called to Frederick’s property on seven occasions to investigate the alleged acts of vandalism. They confirmed they are investigating who is behind the attacks, in particular, who smeared faeces over Frederick’s house – which he’s lived in for four decades.
The house is in a prime position on the Gold Coast and Frederick believes the vandalism began when he declined offers from people to buy his home.
‘At 97, you’ve got to fight and it’s not like when you were 17 when you were a solider,” Frederick said. “When you’re 97, it’s hard work living and it’s hard work living with people that I’ve got, that are doing these terrible things to me.”
His biggest fear is not knowing what the vandals will do next, although police have advised Frederick to install security cameras.
Viewers at home have expressed their desire to help Frederick get security cameras installed in his home.
“How do I donate a security system?” one viewer asked.
Another comment read: “Pls someone volunteer to put security cameras up for this gentleman!
Surely there is someone out there that can assist [sic]”.
A third message on Facebook added: “Cannot believe what kind of people could even do this to this poor dear elderly man. We live in Paradise point my husband is happy to do checks on his house regularly”.