Sydney Morning Herald — A man who allegedly went on the rampage in a tank through the streets of Western Sydney that destroyed several mobile phone towers was lovingly restoring the vehicle, his employer said.

John Robert Patterson, 45, of Dharruk, was charged with predatory driving and six counts of malicious damage. He was arrested early yesterday after Mount Druitt police on patrol discovered an armoured vehicle destroying an electricity substation in Sterling Road, Minchinbury.

Over the next 90 minutes it brought down four Telstra mobile phone towers and damaged three Optus towers in surrounding suburbs until the vehicle stalled at Dean Park while being driven towards another phone tower.

[…]

Mount Druitt resident William Errington said he began following the tank with friends after hearing loud noises and police sirens.

“The tank was being driven all over the place, on footpaths, the wrong side of the road,” he said. “It was a bit scary, but it wasn’t something you see every day.”

Mobile phone services were disrupted as technicians waited to enter the crime scenes. A Telstra spokesman said temporary structures had been erected to replace four mobile phone towers that were destroyed in Mount Druitt, Emerton, Plumpton and Minchinbury. An Optus spokeswoman said three damaged towers were being repaired.

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