In the early hours of Sunday morning, a Coodanup resident was shocked to find a young man trying to steal koi fish from his front pond.
Barry Wright knew something fishy was going on when he heard water flowing outside his house about 3.30am.
The Rathmines Street resident stumbled out of bed and went into his front yard, only to find a man dressed in all black with a balaclava on.
The man had cooking strainer and a fishing knife in his hands, with an esky perched on the edge of the pond.
Read more:
Rattled by the sight, Mr Wright immediately shouted at the man and ran after him as he fled the street.
Accessing the extent of the destruction the following morning, Mr wright said the damage bill was more than $1000.
His five fish were luckily still in the pond but with minimal water.
Mr Wright said he believed the man had used the knife to cut the pipe work to empty the pond.
As he fled the street the man left his belongings behind, including the knife, strainer, esky and a bike.
This isn’t the first time someone has tried to steal koi fish in the street.
Mr Wright’s neighbour, who has a large pond with koi fish was also targeted.
He said people with the exotic Japanese fish needed to be wary that people may try to take them.
Mr Wright said he had taken possession of them and was waiting for police to meet with him to look at them.
Mr Wright is on a disability pension for a genetic neurodegenerative disorder, commonly known as Huntington's disease.
This was really my place for stress management. I had a routine and now he’s killed my routine. I’m stressed and traumatised.
- Rathmines Street resident Barry Wright
He said it took him two years to make the pond and it was a place were he found harmony.
Each morning, Mr Wright would sit near the pond, feed his fish and de-stress.
After swimming along nicely for years, he said the heartless vandal had ruined his place of peace.
Having had to tolerate difficult neighbours in the past, Mr Wright said he just wanted to feel secure in his own home.
“We shouldn’t have to live in fear in our own home,” Mr Wright said.
“This was really my place for stress management. I had a routine and now he’s killed my routine.
“I’m stressed and traumatised. He went about causing vandalism.
“People have insurance for cats, people have insurance for other pets but there’s no insurance for fish.”
Mr Wright said was appalled he’d have to fit the bill for a new filter system, pipes and water to refill the now empty tank.
There was about 4000 litres of water in the pond before the incident.
Security lighting and a reticulation system was also ruined during the attempted theft.