Hoons steal wheels, urinate on uni student’s mobile business

A QUT law student who works up to 40 hours a week on top of his studies to pay for university expenses has been dealt a cruel and disgusting lesson about real-world crime.

A QUT law student who works up to 40 hours a week on top of his studies to pay for university expenses has been dealt a cruel real-world lesson in crime.

Liam Brew, 18, bought his first mobile rubbish skip in Year 12. In his first year into a law/business double degree he expanded the operation to four skips to help fund steep textbook and other costs.

But last week callous thieves stole seven wheels and wheel lugs from the trailers he parked at a public park on busy Rode Rd, McDowall, in Brisbane’s inner north.

To add insult to injury, the thieves then urinated on hitches, light plugs and Anderson power plugs.

Liam Brew with his skips.

“The wheels are standard and would fit a lot of cars, so I think they were stolen to do burnouts,’’ he said.

Mr Brew believed the offenders had carefully planned the operation because two tow truck operators who also used it as a base were there seven days a week, from 6am until midnight.

The trailers also had wheel locks fitted.

“There would have been a lot of noise because I think to remove the wheels quickly they would have need rattle guns,’’ he said.

Some of the missing wheels.

“I missed a couple of (customer) calls until I could get replacements. It cost me $1200 for seven new wheels and a spare and some antitheft lugs.

“The business is doing well, I’m not going to say this will bankrupt me.

“But I’m a uni student and running this business at the same time, sometimes 12 hours a day on the road.’’

Mr Brew was now forced to spend even longer on the road as he now parked his trailers at his parents’ properties at Dayboro and Arana Hills for safety.

“I asked neighbours if they saw or heard anything or had CCTV, without luck,’’ he said.

“The public response (to his Facebook post asking for witnesses) has been wonderful.

Liam Brew had to pay $1200 to buy replacement wheels and antitheft wheel lugs after thieves robbed him.

“Some people even offered me money, but I just want (the offenders) held accountable.’’

He said police told him that even if they recovered the Sunraysia wheels, he could not prove they were his.

After an hour trying to fill out a detailed online police report he gave that up.

If you have information about the theft, which occurred at 1044 Rode Rd between 11.30pm on October 7 and 6am the next morning, call Liam on 0456700646.