Incident record · Gwelup, Western Australia

Pool fence damage — October 2024

This page records the available images, my firsthand observation of the original security recording, and the subsequent correspondence. The purpose is to present the material so readers can assess it for themselves.

About this page: The account below distinguishes between what I personally observed, what is visible in the material still available, and statements attributed to R. It does not claim that the downloadable copy of the security video contains the exact moment of impact; it does not.

Incident summary

In October 2024, R., the registered owner of RGS Landscapes & Earthmoving, formerly known as R GARDENER SERVICES, mowed our lawn in Gwelup. During the period in which the lawn was being mowed, a glass panel in our pool fence was damaged.

I personally watched the original security-camera recording on the recorder and saw the damage occur in real time. I then downloaded and saved the recording. When I later reviewed the downloaded file, I discovered that it ended approximately one or two seconds too early and did not contain the moment of impact that I had seen on the recorder. By the time I noticed this, the original recording had been overwritten and could not be retrieved again.

Date14 October 2024
LocationGwelup, WA
Image interval31 seconds
Repair cost$550

What the available images show

  1. The full security-camera image shows the relevant glass panel. The red frame identifies the area later shown enlarged. The panel appears to be intact.
  2. According to the security-camera footage, R. was the only person in the backyard during this interval.
  3. A second full security-camera image, 31 seconds later, shows the same area. Cracking is visible in the panel.
  4. A separate close-up photograph shows the point of damage and cracks radiating across the glass panel.

Before and after comparison

Move the slider to compare the two full security-camera images. The red frame identifies the same area of the glass panel in both images.

Before image at 10:27:36 After image at 10:28:07 10:28:07 10:27:36

The comparison tool changes only which portion of each supplied image is visible. It does not modify the image content.

Security-camera images

Security-camera image at 10:27:36 with red frame around relevant area
Image 1 — 10:27:36. The red frame identifies the relevant area of the glass pool-fence panel. The panel appears to be intact. Click the image to enlarge it.
Security-camera image at 10:28:07 with red frame around relevant area
Image 2 — 10:28:07. Taken 31 seconds after Image 1. The red frame identifies the same area. Cracking is visible in the panel. Click the image to enlarge it.
Enlarged detail from the before image
Image 1A — enlarged detail. Enlarged view of the area identified by the red frame in Image 1. The glass panel appears to be intact.
Enlarged detail from the after image showing cracking
Image 2A — enlarged detail. Enlarged view of the area identified by the red frame in Image 2. Cracking is visible in the glass panel.

For publication, replace the two files in assets/high-resolution with your true high-resolution originals while keeping the filenames unchanged. Visitors can then inspect the full-resolution source images directly.

Close-up photograph

Close-up photograph of damage to the pool-fence glass panel
Image 3 — close-up of damage. Close-up photograph of the glass pool-fence panel showing the point of damage and cracks radiating across the panel. Click the image to enlarge it.

Statements made after the incident

R. stated that his insurer required the full video, including the missing second(s), before accepting the claim. In discussing the approximately 31-second period between the available images—during which, according to the security-camera footage, R. was the only person in the backyard—he stated:

“Anything could have happened, glass can crack under pressure, birds can have a hard time seeing glass.”
Statement attributed to R.

He further stated:

“I will not accept responsibility until I see this.”
Statement attributed to R.

I replied by SMS:

“Nicely done mate. You stuff up and don’t even have the guts to deal with the consequences.”
My message to R.

R. replied:

“That is very personal and unprofessional Olaf! I am not comfortable with your harassment and I would like for you to stop contacting me.”
Reply attributed to R.

Limit of the available recording

The copy downloaded from the recorder does not contain the exact second or seconds in which the damage occurred. I had already watched the complete original recording on the security recorder and saw the damage occur, but by the time I discovered that the downloaded copy was incomplete, the recorder had overwritten the original.

The statement that I saw the incident occur is therefore my firsthand account. The images, their timestamps and the close-up photograph are presented separately so visitors can assess the available material themselves.

Opportunity to respond or correct

R. or RGS Landscapes & Earthmoving may provide a factual response or identify any claimed factual error in this account. Any demonstrated factual error will be corrected, and a substantive response may be published alongside this record.