Rugby legend driven away
FORMER Doncaster rugby league star Stewart Piper says he is closing down his Barnby Dun car showroom because of vandalism.
He says yobs have caused an incident a month so far this year at his site on Top Road and he is no longer prepared to live with the stress of waiting for the next incident.
Now he says he is going to downsize and concentrate on his Tickhill car sales site alone.
He has suffered eight incidents this year of theft or vandalism.
Vandals have slashed the roof on soft-top convertibles, car windows have been smashed and alloy wheels stolen.
The 63-year-old former Dons player said: "I've been on this site for a long time, but it has got too much.
"I've even been sleeping in cars to try to catch people who are causing the trouble.
"It has got to the stage where I can't relax after work for worrying about what people are doing at the site.
"It is the mental torture of going home and thinking there will be someone causing trouble there.
"I must have spent 20 nights sleeping in cars there to try to catch people.
"The police have been sympathetic, but they cannot have someone watching the site every night and I have no criticism of them.
"I have alarms and closed circuit camera and a fence, but people still get it. It has got much, much worse and people are even taking wing mirrors and wiper blades."
Mr Piper said police did catch one man who had broken into a car and stolen a car stereo.
He had been jailed and was paying 2 a month compensation but the payments stopped after three months.
Mr Piper lived for many years in Barnby Dun, brought his children up there, and says he has great affection for the village.
He said: "It is a village very close to my heart.
"It has been a lovely place to live, but right now, as far as my business is concerned, it is a nightmare at the moment."
He said incidents have been happening since last year.
One of his worst experiences on the site was last August bank holiday.
A group of men took the keys to his car from the office and drove off in it.
He saw what was happening but was unable to stop them.
They drove the car straight out on to the road, where it crashed head on into another vehicle.
Mr Piper now plans to concentrate now on his smaller business at Northgate, in Tickhill and describes the move as downsizing.
Mr Piper was well known as a player for Doncaster in the 1970s and 80s when they played at Tattersfield.
He has also been president of the town's rugby league side.
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