Residents of the Devil?s Hole area of Smith?s were rocked from their sleep early yesterday morning as a man went on a bizarre rampage, damaging a number of vehicles and buildings before fleeing the area.

Police are now searching for a 21-year-old Smith?s man in connection with the incident.

By the time the dawn broke, one car had been set ablaze, windshields were destroyed on two trucks and five other cars, attempts were made to burn down two buildings and the Harrington Workmen?s Club had been broken into.

Neighbours who witnessed portions of the rampage told the alleged culprit is known to many in the area.

They said the man suffers from mental illness and that some neighbours have been trying to help him by giving him odd jobs and meals.

One neighbour, Paul A.W. Smith, said he believed the attacks might have been sparked by a court date the alleged culprit was scheduled to appear at yesterday morning.

The man was to face charges for a Christmas day break-in at the home shared by Mr. Smith and his brother, Vernon Trott, and their families.

Mr. Smith?s car was set ablaze in the incident while two trucks from his brother?s trucking company were also extensively damaged.

?We wouldn?t have pressed charges but we had a ten-month-old baby in the house,? Mr. Smith said of the Christmas break-in.

He said he believed the impending court appearance tipped the suspect over the edge.

Mr. Smith told he awoke early yesterday morning to the sound of concrete blocks being hurled at the vehicles parked in his yard.

The smashing noises woke several residents of Church Dale Road.

?I was awakened by my mother, sister and tenant screaming ?Stop? at the guy as he threw concrete blocks at the windshields,? said Mr. Smith.

?I was still partially dressed in my Regiment uniform but went straight out. When we came outside, we saw that all the vehicles in the yard were damaged.

?Three cars and two trucks had their windshields bashed in with ten-inch blocks.?

The suspect had run away but Mr. Smith alerted the tenants in the apartments adjacent to his home and the Police were also called at that point.

He then left with his brother for Club Road where they believed the man had gone. By the time they arrived the suspect had already attempted to set fire to a construction site and another building.

Police officers soon joined Mr. Smith and his brother, and the group then found that the Harrington Workmen?s Club on Harrington Sound Road had been broken into and that music was blasting from the club?s stereo system.

?He discharged the fire extinguisher from the club all over the road,? Mr. Smith said. The group found the extinguisher outside and saw that one of the club?s windows was smashed.

?He then escaped to the top part of the club into what?s now a church hall,? Mr. Smith added.

It was then, Mr. Smith said, that the Police officers at the club were told by officers at Church Dale Lane that Mr. Smith?s car, which had already been damaged, had been set alight .

According to family members who stayed at the home, they did not realise that the suspect had returned to the area until they heard the bells ringing at the church across the street.

The suspect had grabbed hold of the bell cord which hangs down in front of the church?s entrance.

?My family then heard a pop,? Mr. Smith said. They turned back to the yard which was lit up with the flames rising from Mr. Smith?s car.

The Fire Service was alerted at 3.08 a.m. and five fire fighters responded. Lt. Dana Lovell said that by the time they arrived the blaze had burned itself out and the car, a Nissan Sentra, had been destroyed beyond repair.

As of last night, Police had yet to locate the suspect who also failed to keep his court date at Magistrates? Court. A warrant has been issued for the man?s arrest.

Mr. Smith said that several people in the neighbourhood were on the look out for the suspect in ?hangout spots? which he frequents.

While the ordeal has left some in the area worried for their personal safety, others are worried about the suspect.

?He has a serious mental illness,? one woman told ?He?s harmless.

?All I want is some sleep. We?ve been up for the past 27 hours.?