Watch the astonishing moment a tradie slashes the tyres of a speed camera van while a police officer was inside

A manhunt is underway for a brazen tradie who was captured slashing the tyres of a mobile speed camera van while a police officer was inside. 

CCTV showed the man in a hi-vis vest casually walking up to the van parked in North Plympton Adelaide’s west at about 4pm on Wednesday.

He quickly pulled out a blade and slashed the front and back tyres on the left side of the van.

He was later seen walking quickly away from the scene down Birdwood Terrace, cautiously checking over his shoulder several times to see if anyone sprung him in the act.

The police officer in the van was operating the speed camera at the time and was apparently initially unaware of the sabotage.

Twenty minutes later, additional police were seen arriving on scene to check out the damage to the undrivable van before it was taken away on the back of a tow truck.

Residents were shocked to hear about the incident.

‘This is really bad, this is not acceptable, whether it is a police van or a personal van,’ Sarat Katoch told Nine News.

Kyle Larsen- Smith added: ‘I think everyone gets frustrated with speed cameras every now and then but at the end of the day they are there to look out for us to look after ourselves.’

Residents added that police had a reason for being there.

The stretch of road is notorious for drivers ignoring the 50km/h speed limit.

‘They do speed done here because they think it is 60,’ another man said. 

Mr Larsen- Smith said the road was used as a shortcut between two other major roads. 

‘You hear people absolutely flying through here at night time,’ he said.   

The tradie was later seen walking away quickly from the scene while casting looks over his shoulder to see if anyone saw what he did

South Australia Police are investigating the vandalism to their vehicle.

Investigators urge anyone who may have seen the act or knows the man to come forward.