Burglars BYO boulder for Kew break-in
BURGLARS behind a crime spree in Melbourne’s inner east brought their own boulder to break down doors and a wheelie bin to cart away their loot, costing one Kew business $200,000.
Law & Order
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THIS is the moment a gang of burglars used a bluestone boulder to burst through the doors of a skincare clinic during a bold crime spree in Melbourne’s inner-east.
The young men used the heavy rock, which they brought in the back of a car, to smash through glass — seemingly unconcerned about the racket they’ve made.
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They even came prepared with a wheelie bin to load their stolen goods during the brazen late-night break-ins across Kew and Hawthorn.
Footage shows one of the crooks struggling under the weight of the rock as he carries it from the front seat where he had been nursing it on his lap, before throwing the boulder through the back door.
A getaway driver waits outside on High St, Kew, while the two other, in balaclavas, go prowling through the closed Instant Laser Clinic.
Within a few minutes they’ve raided the place, pushing over expensive laser equipment and loading prescription ointments into their bin.
Then it’s back through the hole in the door, wheeling their loot to the car.
A nearby newsagent would later tell other traders he tried to chase the thieves but they stopped their car and turned around as if prepared to confront him three-on-one.
Clinic director Mathew Jafarzadeh said the three-minute run-through had cost his business about $200,000 from damage and theft of products.
“They had no fear — this needs to stop,” Mr Jafarzadeh said.
“It was a shocking scene (to see the damage).”
He said the newsagent who followed the getaway car in a bid to stop them had reported the thieves were young men with “rapper’s body language”.
“They stopped the car in the middle of the road and they came towards him.
“He was so shaken.”
Mr Jafarzadeh feared the crooks had been scoping his business, as they appeared to know which expensive items to target inside the clinic.
“Masks and hoodies and gloves — they were fully covered,” he said.
“They came prepared.”
After targeting the clinic, the offenders raided a nearby optometrist then moved to another business in Church St, Hawthorn.
Kew MP Tim Smith said there were fears over rising crime in the Boroondara area.
“This type of outrageous criminal behaviour is intolerable, I hope the perpetrators are brought to justice immediately,” Mr Smith said.
Boroondara Crime Investigation Unit detectives have been reviewing footage and the details of the getaway car used in the early morning crime spree on August 12.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.