PICTURES: Carnage as 'drunken yobs' smash lorries together in sick 'demolition derby' after breaking into Sheffield haulage firm

A Sheffield haulage firm has been left in ruins after drunken yobs broke into a yard and smashed lorries together in a scene described as like something out of a demolition derby.
Damage at the yard.Damage at the yard.
Damage at the yard.

Vandals smashed their way into the R Cox Haulage Ltd yard in Darnall before stealing keys and driving vehicles into one another, buildings and a gate leaving the place a scene of carnage.

Firefighters at the scene.Firefighters at the scene.
Firefighters at the scene.
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Not satisfied with their wave of destruction they then set fire to the company's main office and a caravan causing further damage.

It is also thought the yobs drank beer while carrying out the attack as empty cans were left strewn across the yard.

The transport company has been operating in Sheffield for almost a century but there are now fears that the firm may have to close resulting in job losses.

Company owner Robert Rounce was on a family holiday in Tenerife when he received a call to say that his business was on fire at 11.45pm on Thursday, April 12.

Further damage.Further damage.
Further damage.
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He said: "We had just gotten in from a night out when I got the call. I couldn't believe it.

"The people responsible for this sheer act of nastiness are cruel excuses for human beings.

"We are all truly gutted."

Robert with his wife Emma.Robert with his wife Emma.
Robert with his wife Emma.

He said it appeared yobs had "proceeded to play what can only be described as demolition derby using lorries, pick ups and vans" and described the state of the yard as "carnage."

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It is believed they broke into the site through a fence at about 8pm at around the time when CCTV suddenly stopped working.

They broke into the firm's main office and stole keys to the vehicles.

It appears they then drove a lorry, van and a pick-up truck into other vehicles, a garage and a main gate.

One of the smashed lorries.One of the smashed lorries.
One of the smashed lorries.

They set fire to the main office and a nearby caravan from which it is believed cans of beer had also been taken.

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Important documents, such as invoices dating back to the start of the year, were also lost in the fire.

In total there were four HGVs damaged, two vans and a pick-up truck.

Vehicle repair company WTR Ltd, which shares part of the same yard, is also believed to have seen damage caused to its vehicles and a garage.

Nobody at the company was available for comment when we called today.

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Mr Rounce said he could not put a specific figure on the total cost of the damage but believes it runs into "tens of thousands of pounds."

Charred remains.Charred remains.
Charred remains.

The 50-year-old Worksop man, who started working for the firm as a mechanic in 1984, said the company and its workforce of seven now faces an uncertain future.

The firm is still operational but he admitted its future is 'in danger'.

He said: "We are speaking to the insurance company and will see what happens.

"But we will do everything we can to keep going."

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The company posted pictures and details of the attack on Facebook which has been shared more than 500 times.

Mr Rounce added that CCTV from a neighbouring business caught two men walking away from the scene while drinking from what is thought to be beer cans at around the time of the incident.

He said they were both aged about 20 and wore hooded tops and baseball caps.

A hard drive of the company's CCTV coverage had been recovered from the site and has been handed to police.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact police on 101.