‘Low-life scumbags’ steal essential aircraft firefighting tools from Ballarat Airport as the Grampians prepare for fires

Heartless thieves have targeted essential firefighting equipment in Ballarat as emergency services brace for a huge day of battling extreme weather.

“Low-life scumbags” have stolen essential tools used to service one of the state’s biggest firefighting aircraft.

Cruel thieves broke into the CFA storage shed at the Ballarat Airport and allegedly stole equipment used to service the Black Hawk firefighting chopper.

Engineers working on the helicopter are understood to have turned up to the site for work when they realised their gear had been ransacked.

The chopper is touted as one of the best aircraft in the state’s possession, capable of dropping 4000 litres on raging fires.

Cruel thieves broke into the CFA storage shed at the Ballarat Airport and allegedly stole equipment used to service the Black Hawk firefighting chopper. Picture: VicEmergency,

“The Black Hawk engineers arrived for work at the Ballarat Airport to find that their trailer had been broken into and essential tools stolen,” a notice online read.

“Stealing equipment used to maintain an essential firefighting aircraft that protects our community and firefighters must be one of the lowest acts I have come across in a long time, it makes me sick.

“This is the last thing needed with the current fire emergency and forecast weather for this Thursday.

“There are some low-life scumbags in this world.”

It is not known if it will impact the major firefighting effort in the Grampians over the coming days.

Boxing Day has been declared a total fire ban with wind gusts of up to 100km/h and temperatures reaching 40C in parts of the state predicted.

Police on Wednesday confirmed they were investigating the Airport Rd robbery.

They believe the crooks made their move sometime between 6pm on December 23 and 9.15am on Christmas Eve.

“It’s believed specialist equipment used by a firefighting aircraft was stolen,” a statement read.

“Police are investigating the burglary and would like to speak to anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the area.”