Andrew Ross had been driving along Main Street in Cullybackey on Sunday afternoon when a brick was thrown through a back-seat window of his vehicle from the direction of a nearby building site.
Though his two-year-old son was not in the car at the time, Andrew said the thought of what might have happened had he been in his seat left him shocked.
Andrew Ross whose car window was smashed when a brick was thrown through it on Sunday afternoon. Pic: Luke Jervis/Belfast Telegraph
‘He could have been badly injured or worse’: Toddler’s seat showered in glass after brick thrown through car window
“I left the house shortly after 4.45pm yesterday evening and was heading down the main street towards the river path,” he told the Belfast Telegraph.
“As I was approaching the Eurospar, there were already two bricks lying in the middle of the road. I was wondering why they were lying there, but by the time I’d driven past, that’s when the brick hit the back of the car.
“I was initially shocked, I actually thought I’d hit something. I turned down and came to a stop down outside the dental surgery. I looked around and saw the broken window, all the shards of glass all over the back seat and all over my son’s car seat.
“I went from shocked to absolute adrenaline and anger when I realised what would have happened had he been in the car. He would have been badly injured or worse.
“That went through my head for the rest of the night; even though it didn’t happen, it’s the ‘what if?’ There could have been a scenario where that would have played out.”
Mr Ross said the incident had left him shocked and angry. Pic: Luke Jervis/Belfast Telegraph
After pulling the car over, Mr Ross called his wife, who came down in the couple’s other car and entered the nearby Eurospar to check if they had CCTV.
As she came back out, Andrew said he spotted a number of youths climbing the wall of the building site in an attempt to get out.
“I turned round and saw two young fellas coming out of the building site. They saw us and bolted off back into the site,” he said.
“I went over roaring at them and walked up onto the main road and saw them climbing the wall on the far left corner to get onto the street. They ran up past the main centre of the town and across the road to get through Buick Walk.
“We brought both cars back to the house and then the police went down to the Eurospar to see the footage. They’ve seen the lads entering the site and they had actually been in the shop as well.”
Mr Ross said his son could have been “seriously injured or worse” had he been in the car at the time of the incident. Pic: Luke Jervis/Belfast Telegraph
The PSNI said they were investigating a report of criminal damage in relation to the incident.
Neighbourhood Inspector Parkes said: “The brick was thrown through the rear passenger window of the vehicle near a building site at approximately 4.45pm on Sunday January 5 – causing extensive damage. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
“Two young people were observed running from the site in the direction of Main Street towards Tobar Park.
“Patrols of the immediate area were conducted by police – however the suspects were not located. We are following lines of enquiry, and will be continuing with routine patrols of the area.
“We would appeal to anyone who witnessed what happened or who has dash-cam or other video footage of the area to contact us on the non-emergency number 101 and quote reference number 870 05/01/25.
“A report can also be made using the online reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport.
“Or if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details, they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.”