Police urge tradies to secure their tools and trucks after a crime spree totalling thousands of dollars in February
THOUSANDS of dollars worth of tools are being stolen from utes in brazen raids every week as police urge tradies to lock up and make tools harder to steal.
Inner South
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THOUSANDS of dollars worth of tools are being stolen from tradies utes in brazen raids every week.
The hauls, including things from power tools, gardening equipment to air compressors, are then on sold to rogue builders on the black market.
Frustrated local police and Leader have joined forces for the ‘Lock it Up’ campaign, to urge motorists to secure their vehicles and toolboxes after more than 100 thefts from mostly unlocked cars in February.
On February 7 a climbing rope, tree climbing spikes and a hedge trimmer were stolen by two masked thieves from a truck in Kingston Rd, Heatherton.
Moorabbin crime investigation unit detective Sergeant Mick Sewell said hot spots for tools thefts are Mordialloc, Parkdale, Mentone and Edithvale.
He urged tradies to make their tools harder to steal by getting lockable toolboxes that are bolted to the trays of utes or by taking tools inside after work.
“A decent lock, it might cost a couple of hundred dollars but it’s one they won’t be able to cut through unless they’ve got an angle grinder,” Sgt Sewell said.
“If it’s locked they’ll just walk away and move on.”
Sgt Sewell said about 90 per cent of burgled vehicles were unlocked.
Builder John Atkins has had his tools stolen three times. On the last occasion his ute canopy had been left unlocked.
Mr Atkins said he recently bought new Holden Colorado with lockable drawers and containers to make his tools harder to steal.
“If all my tools are stolen I can’t go to work so it’s better not to take the risk,” he said.
Sgt Sewell said stolen tools were easily sold on the black market. He said engraving tools with identification makes them harder to sell and easier to recover if stolen.
Last month there were 109 thefts from cars in Kingston.
Removing valuables, parking in garages or in well-lit areas at night helps reduce the risk of a car being targeted, police said.
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