Police are calling for witnesses to come forward after 20 kangaroos were killed by a vehicle in “acts of animal cruelty” in the New South Wales town of Merimbula.

Authorities believe one vehicle drove through the suburb of Tura Beach between 10.30pm and 11.30pm on Saturday night, targeting and killing the animals.

Twenty kangaroos, including joeys, were killed and three remaining joeys are in veterinary care, said Janine Green, a volunteer with Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (Wires), who discovered the kangaroos.

Green alleged the culprit drove a white ute with a spotlight to intentionally run over the animals.

“They were driving around and around and had a spotlight. So the kangaroos were just startled and standing there,” she said.

“They were driving up on the footpaths … It was football final night so a lot of people would have been drinking. So lucky nobody was walking home.

“The people here actually love kangaroos. They are a part of the population. People in their houses were waking up with carcasses on their lawns. People just couldn’t believe it.”

Detectives from the south coast police district are investigating.

Animal welfare groups and police are calling for anybody with information to come forward.