Toowoomba business suffers 'kick in guts' after $50,000 in machinery stolen

In a week when a lot of their focus has been on helping firefighters battling a massive bushfire, business owners have described a brazen heist as a "kick in the guts". They have issued a $20,000 reward to find the culprits.

Some of the machinery stolen from Excavation Equipment on Carrington Rd, Toowoomba.

THE owners of a Toowoomba business have posted a massive reward for information after about $50,000 worth of machinery and tools were stolen during four break-ins in the past four weeks.

Excavation Equipment general manager Catherine Ardi said the Carrington Rd business was targeted on October 25 and 30, and again on November 13 and 16.

She estimated the brazen heists, during which a skid steer, digger, staff members’ personal tools, and other pieces of equipment, were worth about $50,000 – and that excluded the $20,000 cost to the business of installing security cameras and patrols.

“Each time we have stepped up security but they’re determined – they just angle-grind off the locks, smash cameras,” Ms Ardi said.

Ms Ardi posted a $20,000 reward for information on social media in an effort to find those responsible but also raise awareness of businesses being targeted in the area.

“We never like to highlight bad business,” she said.

Excavation Equipment's sales and service manager David Drummond, Sales and Service is fed up with the constant break and enters at the Carrington Rd business.

“We’ve been focusing a lot this week on taking supplies to Highfields and taking snack and water to the fireys, so for this to happen, it’s just a little bit of a kick in the guts.

“It’s all of the businesses around here; we have to start getting the word out there and making people aware that it’s happening.”

The stolen machinery, she said, was slow moving but quiet and, while she didn’t want to speculate on who was responsible, it was possible more than one person was involved in the theft.

Some of the machinery stolen from Excavation Equipment on Carrington Rd, Toowoomba.

Ms Ardi said she was heartened by the community response since posting on social media, with the post viewed more than 30,000 times and shared by more than 500 people.

The Toowoomba Property Crime Unit is investigating the theft. Anyone with information should report it to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Policelink on 131 444.

Anyone wanting to report information to Excavation Equipment directly should search the business on Facebook.

Originally published as Toowoomba business suffers 'kick in guts' after $50,000 in machinery stolen