More than $25,000 in equipment stolen from Men’s Shed
A busy Mornington Peninsula men’s shed plundered by thieves three times in five months, losing $25,000 of tools and equipment, suffered a cruel twist in the latest heist — when the crooks made off with security cameras due to be installed days later.
South East
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Cold-hearted thieves have hit a community group supporting men’s health for the third time in five months.
In a cruel twist, the crooks made off with new security cameras which were due to be installed just days later.
Following the first two robberies president and treasurer of Western Port Men’s Shed Colin Prowd bought the CCTV equipment, but it hadn’t been hooked up to the cloud when the thieves struck.
Mr Prowd said the shed had been robbed of about $25,000 worth of equipment between the three robberies, but this had been the worst with $10,000 worth of goods taken.
“After the last robbery, which happened about September or October, I put in security cameras, but they hadn’t been hooked up to the cloud yet,” he said.
“They were meant to be fixed up in the new year, but unfortunately the thieves got in first.”
Mr Prowd said burglars had got in through the back door for the first two robberies, but because of new bolted doors being installed they broke through the front this time.
“They bend back the aluminium cover and lever it before jimmying the door frame open,” he said.
“But now the shire has changed the doors and there is a 5mm steel plate the length of the front door.”
The thieves target power tools, like cordless drills and the expensive batteries needed to operate them.
After the last break-in power tool company AEG donated about $1500 worth of power tools to the men, but Mr Prowd said they were also stolen in the latest incident.
“I brought down some of my own tools too, so the guys had stuff to work with because we didn’t have much after the last incident,” he said.
“They’ve gone too, so we are quite restricted at the moment.
“We do a lot of stuff for community groups, like kindergartens and schools, so this has set us, and them, back a bit.”
Liberal MP for Hastings Neale Burgess said the Western Port Men’s Shed had become a very important community asset.
“Not only does the Shed support men’s health and wellbeing by bringing men together for mutual support, the men also work together to assist others in our community,” he said.
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“The members of the Western Port Men’s Shed have provided great support to VCAL students from Somerville and Hastings and built equipment for numerous schools, kindergartens and charities across our local community, built raised garden beds for the Salvation Army and so much more.
“In return, this generous group of community volunteers, has been targeted on three separate occasions by heartless thieves. Among the things stolen, were the very tools and equipment, used by the members, to bring so much happiness, to so many, throughout our community.”
Police are investigating the incident.