Crime wave hits

Police are pleading with residents to make it harder for opportunistic thieves after a wave of burglaries over the past week.

Sergeant Craig Van Breugel said there appeared to be two separate spates, the first overnight between Sunday and Monday last week when four properties in Drouin and one in Longwarry were targeted. During an aggravated burglary in Hamlet Rd, Drouin, thieves broke in through an unlocked door while the owners were asleep then rummaged through an unlocked vehicle. The same night thieves broke into a shed in Myers Rd, Drouin, and stole tools, CDs, alcohol and tobacco. There were two burglaries in Amberley Dr, Drouin, with thieves rummaging through unlocked vehicles in unlocked garages. There also was an aggravated burglary in Old Drouin Rd, Longwarry, where thieves entered through a back door and stole cash and alcohol. They also took the keys to a Nissan Patrol and attempted to start it without success. The occupants slept through the burglary. The second spate occurred overnight between Friday and Saturday when three properties in Warragul were targeted. Burglars stole three laptop computers and other electrical from a business in Mason St, Warragul. They broke in through a bathroom window. The same night burglars broke into houses in Charles St and Myrtle Cres after smashing laundry windows. They stole a laptop and a 2012 Nissan Maxima from the first house and two bikes from the second. There was another burglary at Windhaven Dr, Warragul between 1.40pm and 2.20pm last Monday. The owner left the front door unlocked while she went out for a run and returned to find a purse, cash, mobile phone car keys and X-box missing. Sgt Van Breugel said the burglaries appeared to be opportunistic. “The type of property they’re stealing doesn’t seem like it’s targeted. They’re just pinching anything they can find.” He said residents made it too easy for offenders by leaving houses and vehicles unlocked. “Offenders tend to target the easy premises. Making it harder for them to get in will often be enough to deter them. They will just move on.”