Thieves work on battery power

TWEED thieves are flirting with disaster by using angle grinders to steal valuable batteries from temporary traffic lights and electronic road signs.

The Tweed Shire Council has lost five pairs of batteries from lights at road works in the last month, costing the council about $10,000 to replace.

Tweed Shire Council acting senior engineer of construction Bob Hanby said the most recent theft was last Tuesday from Clothiers Creek Rd, which has been reduced to one lane while the damage from a landslip in March is repaired.

“This is not a victimless crime,” he said.

“What could have happened on Tuesday night had two vehicles met head-to-head on that section of road is frightening.

“The community has every right to be concerned and outraged.”

He said council believes the thieves used angle grinders to break the metal cage at the base of the traffic lights in order to remove the batteries.

“We have to replace the stolen items, get traffic controllers on site to manage the traffic during the repair and get a welding crew in to try and make the battery cages theftproof,” Mr Hanby said.

Each theft costs the council about $2000.

The thefts have occurred on roads undergoing flood repairs including Hogan Rd at Bilambil, Tweed Valley Way at Greenhills and roads at South Murwillumbah.

Mr Hanby urged residents

report anything they to thought was suspicious council or police.

“We don’t want anyone to confront the thieves but to note what they look like, their vehicle description and registration number and call it in,” he said.

“A vehicle parked near roadworks at night is suspicious, a vehicle towing a trailer with plant in the back at night is suspicious.”

The thefts come after bolt cutters were used to steal batteries in Kennedy Dr, Tweed Heads West last year.

On the Gold Coast it is car batteries which are taking thieves’ fancy with almost $4000 worth stolen since July 1 last year. to

WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED ON TUESDAY NIGHT HAD TWO VEHICLES MET HEAD-TO-HEAD ON THAT SECTION OF ROAD FRIGHTENING.

IS

Eight car batteries worth $1600 in total have been taken from council trailers at a Bonogin job site and another car battery taken from a council trailer at Currumbin.

Thieves have also been targeting scrap batteries at council waste depots with 125 stolen from Molendinar and 106 stolen from Jacobs Well.

A council spokeswoman said scrap batteries are worth about $50 each when sold for recycling.

“Council carries out a thorough risk assessment for each and every project in an effort to ensure equipment and property is secure at worksites,” she said.