The Mystery of Leichhardt, Sydney when a stately $2 million red-painted home is attacked

It is a quaint cottage on a quiet tree lined street in an upscale area of ​​Sydney’s inner west.

But sometime in the early hours of Monday morning, it was attacked by vandals intent on causing tens of thousands of dollars worth of rioting, alarm and damage.

They sprayed gallons of crimson paint on the pristine white walls of the $2 million, two-bedroom home where a widow in her 80s lives.

The incident has left her neighbors in Leichhardt completely baffled – with locals offering numerous theories but few answers as to why the house was brazenly attacked and who the sinister figure responsible was.

A lady, who lives several houses away and did not want to give her name for fear of being attacked herself, said she was “completely confused” by the attack.

Vandals sprayed gallons of blood-red paint onto the pristine white walls of a house where an “old widow” lives

Daily Mail Australia visited on Wednesday while the cleanup was underway

“I was the one who called the police after my husband called me on the way to work in the morning,” she said.

“The poor lady was really upset and upset. What a sad and horrible thing to do to an old lady – especially for a woman who lives alone.

“We’ve never seen anything like it – it’s quite a friendly street. To do that to an old widow who lives alone is just gross.”

Another neighbor in the suburb affectionately known as Little Italy for its Italian delis and trattorias was more outspoken.

“Scum – absolute scum,” he said.

“My wife saw it on Facebook so I went and checked it out. It’s disgusting. She’s a pretty girl and I don’t know why they would have done it, but they’re scum.”

The man, who is new to the area, said he would install CCTV in front of his home.

Daily Mail Australia visited on Wednesday as a careful all-day clean-up was underway.

Despite starting at around 9 a.m., the cleaning team of four worked well into the late afternoon with high-pressure cleaners, scrubbing brushes and microfibre cloths.

“It’s an oil-based red paint and it stains like crap,” said one of the cleaners.

The victim of the horrific attack, who has lived in the home for over 30 years, declined to speak about the troubling incident.

The Grade I listed house is believed to have been renovated in 2019.

An elderly man who lives across the street said he thinks it is “youths” who are responsible.

Neighbors were “completely mystified” by the attack, with one branding the vandals “scum”.

“It happened in the middle of the night. When she woke up in the morning it was there. I guess they filled those plastic squirt guns with paint and sprayed them,’ he said.

“How else could they have shot it so high? It’s on the roof. There is a large jacaranda outside the house so they are well hidden while they do it.

‘She’s lovely, very kind. We know them to say hello. She often travels with her daughter.

Another neighbor said: “It’s cowardly and totally confusing.”

‘They must have been targeting the house for some reason, even if it’s a mistaken identity. As if it were kids being stupid there is an empty old hotel across the street that they could have sprayed.

A customer at the Billy Lou Kids Shoe Shop down the street said she was “shocked” by the act of vandalism.

“It’s a beautiful area, very family-oriented, from young children to teenagers,” she said.

“It’s also a friendly neighborhood – people look out for each other. But you can have rat bags anywhere.

Another added: “It’s a really nice quiet area. I have never experienced anything like this in the past.’

Anger at the vandals and support for the victim erupted on social media.

Denise Tierney wrote that it was “like a crime scene.”

It is disgusting and hurtful to the poor resident.”

The house (pictured) is worth an estimated $2 million

Annie Gripton said she hopes police “arrest anyone responsible for this”.

“How awful and frightening for those living there,” she wrote.

“I walked by this afternoon and was just amazed.”

John McWhorter commented: “Oil paint too. Cleaning becomes an expensive nightmare. A horrific act of vandalism committed with some sort of super-soaker I would guess.

The police kept a low profile about possible motives for the vandalism.

“Officials from the Leichhardt Police District Command received a report of vandalism on Monday (20 March 2023),” said a NSW Police spokeswoman.

“Investigations into this incident continue.”