Northern beaches being hammered by tradie tool crime spree

SYDNEY’S northern beaches has become a regular target for the theft of tradesmen’s tools from vehicles.

Fairlight’s Adam Kelly had his ute broken into. Picture: Supplied

• Men charged over allegedly stolen tools
• Tools worth thousands stolen from utes

THE northern beaches is being hammered by a tradie tool crime spree, with expensive equipment being stolen almost every night.

Fairlight’s Adam Kelly, who works in construction, said he was “absolutely gutted” after he had about $5000 worth of tools stolen from his ute in the early hours of Sunday morning, while $3000 of damage was done to the toolboxes.

“I don’t have insurance and half of what they stole was brand new,” he said.

The robberies prompted Northern Beaches police duty officer Inspector Jo Comber to urge tradies to be as vigilant as possible.

“We are cautioning people to ensure their toolboxes in the back of vehicles are locked,” she said.

If tradies needed to park on the street, Insp Comber suggested they do so under street lights.

There was another Fairlight robbery, sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning, that saw a hammer drill stolen from a toolbox on Griffiths St.

Sometime over the weekend, thieves broke the padlocks on three toolboxes on a vehicle in Charles St, Fairlight but left empty-handed. Power tools and nail guns were stolen, sometime between Monday night and yesterday morning, from a vehicle in Queenscliff.

Anybody with information on the thefts is urged to call Dee Why police on 9971 3399 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.