Unpaid Worker Wreaks Revenge on Newly Built Hotel

The finishing touches were just being put on the new Travelodge hotel in Liverpool when "some idiot in a mini digger decided to drive through the middle of the building." That's the gist of a story out of the UK, where police are now on the hunt for a man witnesses say was angry because he hadn't gotten paid. The Guardian reports the man showed up at the almost completed hotel in a red backhoe, smashed straight into the interior, and proceeded to wreak havoc for what one worker on the scene said was "a good 20 or 30 minutes." The Sun has footage, which shows the man jumping out of the vehicle after his rampage and running away across the parking lot. The Liverpool Echo reports the driver was heard shouting something about the $775 or so he says he was owed; one worker tells the paper, "I stand by what my colleague did today."

The Echo also notes that workers kept yelling "John!" at the man in the backhoe, as if they knew him. Local cops say one man suffered eye irritation at the scene due to exposure to diesel fuel. Per the BBC, a GoFundMe has been set up that appears to be raising funds for the driver, both to help him recoup the allegedly unpaid wages and, now, for "any legal fees and expenses which may arise as result of the demolition of the [Travelodge]." "Many people in the building trade encounter similar situations week in week out," the creator of the GoFundMe, identified as Jack Wellon, writes. "This is a contractor vs worker situation and guess who usually comes out on top with huge payouts and the worker going short? Not this time." The GoFundMe has raised nearly $4,100 as of Tuesday morning. (More revenge stories.)