Thieves steal $160k in engines in brazen Ravenhall ram raid

Thieves – one wearing a Squid Games mask – have brazenly smashed a stolen ute into an automotive store in Melbourne’s west before making off with $160k in engines. Watch the video.

A specialist mechanic from Melbourne’s west has been left “devastated” after alleged thieves stole more than $160,000 worth of engines despite significant security measures in place.

The alleged thieves rammed through six levels of security – including a fence, roller doors, CCTV, alarms, bollards and locked doors – to steal three “unique” engines from Motorlab in Ravenhall on Thursday morning about 5.30am.

Three alleged offenders used a Nissan Navara, allegedly stolen an hour before the robbery, to ram through a fence and roller door before loading two other cars with three expensive engines.

The white Navara was left at the scene after it became lodged between bollards.

Motorlab owner Henry Eap said the burglary was “not a random attack”.

“Obviously it’s someone that has been in here before,” Mr Eap said.

“Three engines had been taken and obviously they had known what to target, where to go and what do in here.

“The engines are built to handle quite high powered (vehicles). There’s been a lot money lumped in by the owners that have saved for years and years and collected parts over the years.”

One of thieves was wearing a Squid Games mask

Mr Eap said the engines stolen were “unique” and unlike anything built across the country, which he hoped would make them easy to find.

“Two of the motors can only be used in a specific type of car,” he said.

“One of them was built purely to fit into a Nissan Skyline GTR and the other into a Mitsubishi Evo.

“They have been done where they are not the same as everyone else would do them. What I do with these engines isn’t done much around the country and they do stand out.”

Henry Eap, the owner of Ravenhall auto mechanics Motorlab, after the overnight ram raid and burglary. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Henry Eap speaks with Detective Senior Constable Sean Armstrong about the overnight ram raid and burglary. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Extensive damage to the roller door has meant Mr Eap has been unable to leave the shop during the day out of fear his store would be targeted again.

He said he planned on “upping security protocols” despite an already extensive system which also included an active local neighbourhood watch program.

The three alleged thieves were caught on CCTV wearing black clothing, with one of the offenders’ faces covered in a black squid game mask.

The three engines were then loaded onto the back of a white Volkswagen Jetta and another unknown black vehicle.

Detective senior constable Sean Armstrong said the footage provided will be “very helpful” to police.

“This wasn’t a random incident, the offenders knew what they were looking for and went straight to the back room,” he said.

Police investigation is ongoing.