A Sydney community is on high alert for a 'serial pooper' reportedly throwing human waste from a high-rise apartment balcony above a busy shopping centre.
A spate of disturbing incidents at Kirrawee's South Village shops in the Sutherland Shire has prompted NSW Police to launch an investigation.
Denise Gray turned to a community Facebook page for advice after her car was splattered with human faeces in a 'gross and despicable incident' last Sunday.
The mother-of-three was putting her children in the car following an afternoon at a nearby park when she heard something hit the vehicle.
'No other cars were passing by, so I thought perhaps I had misheard,' she wrote.
'A couple of lovely people approached to point out that something from above had hit our car. It was human faeces.
'We didn't see who dropped it, but it appears they waited until we were attempting to get into our car.'
Ms Gray alerted staff at the nearby cafe, who warned her to leave before the car was targeted again.
Denise Gray was putting her children in the backseat when she heard something hit her car
Denise (pictured) was told by cafe staff and locals that the incident was not a one-off
NSW Police are now investigating a spate of similar incidents near the apartments above South Village shopping centre in Kirrawee (pictured)
'They said it happens all the time,' Ms Gray added. 'This happened at 4.30pm on a Sunday afternoon when the shops and playground were quite busy.
'I'm utterly appalled. I'm just grateful it didn't actually hit me or the kids.'
Ms Gray doesn’t believe the incident near South Village Apartments was a one‑off, noting the block is owned separately from the Mirvac shopping complex below.
She will now steer clear of parking near the complex to prevent repeat attacks.
'I find it incredibly unlikely that it was a coincidence that it happened at the exact moment we were getting into our car. The act itself seemed deliberate, so why wouldn't the timing be as well?' Ms Gray told news.com.au.
'My youngest has Down syndrome, and although it would be completely vile for any person to be targeted, there's something about his vulnerability that makes it even more disgraceful to me.'
Her post was inundated with comments from locals recalling similar incidents.
'Exact same thing happened to my husband and I last weekend, one woman wrote.
Denise was grateful that the human faeces (pictured) didn't actually hit her or her three kids
Ms Gray doesn’t believe the incident near South Village Apartments was a one‑off, noting the block is owned separately from the Mirvac shopping complex below
'I thought I must have upset someone by parking in 'their' spot. So gross,' another said.
Others called for the shopping centre management, the local council and other authorities to intervene and catch the culprits.
'Public health and safety officials needed ASAP,' another local commented.
A second added: 'The police need to take it seriously, especially if it’s happening a lot in this location. It’s assault and dangerous.'
Some commenters were more sympathetic, questioning whether mental health issues or a disability could be contributing factors.
NSW Police is investigating after inquiries with centre management security confirmed a recent spate of similar incidents.