TIME TO NAIL TOOL THIEVES
OPPORTUNISTIC thieves have ve stolen more than 90 power tools ls from Geelong properties over r the past six weeks.
Police say offenders targeting highly valuable branded goods have stolen 91 tools dur- ing 44 burglaries at Geelong reegion shops, houses and cars since nce the beginning of June.
Officers say the significant spike in thefts occurred between June une 1 and July 16, with chainsaws and other tools “stolen in a significant ficant numbers at a significant cost”.
Items stolen during this period included 18 power drills, eight angle grinders, eight circular saws and seven chainsaws.
Lara pest controller Josh Morrison has slammed thieves, who broke into his ute and stole a $1000 specialised nail gun, as having no regard for peoples’ livelihoods.
The young dad, whose partner is about b t t to give i bi birth th t to another th child, said he had been unable to work since thieves stole the nail gun.
He said offenders broke into his locked single cab ute, which was parked in his Lara driveway, and cut through bolts.
“They broke through locks to get the nail gun — but they can’t even use it because they left behind the battery pack,” Mr Morrison said. Th The self-employed business owne owner has had tools stolen previou viously and said he was extremely vig vigilant about securing his eq equipment. Police are investigating the i incident, but Mr Morrison is n not hopeful the tools will be recovered or that the offenders will be caught. He said offenders had no rega gard for the victims or the damage that senseless break-ins cause caused. “Th “They’ll just flog it off for some money for drugs or cigarettes,” Mr Morri Morrison said. H He said offenders needed to put themselves in the shoes of victims. “I have a family and am just trying to make a living and put food on the table and that has been taken away from me,” Mr Morrison said. A police spokesman said most of the recent thefts were done on an opportunistic basis, with offenders seeking random targets. “By leaving your tools unsecured you are giving them the opportunity to steal,” the spokesman said.
“If offenders walk up to your ute and see that your equipment is well secured, they are more likely to go looking somewhere else which provides an easier opportunity.”
Police say all toolboxes should be properly secured to ute trays with big solid locks on the lids or doors while larger equipment should be locked to a vehicle with a chain and padlock.
“Most average padlocks can be easily and quietly cut using bolt cutters, and other types of toolbox locks can often be jemmied open with a crowbar, so don’t skimp on your security devices or quality of toolbox” the spokesman said.
Tool owners are also urged to engrave tools with their driver’s licence number and to keep a comprehensive record of each and every tool including serial and make numbers.
Anyone with information in relation to the thefts should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.