A CAR audio and accessory business has become the most recent victim of “smash and grab” theft in what police are describing as a small spike in break-in activity across the city.
Tonkins In-car Solutions was targeted at around 5am on Saturday morning, when thieves smashed through the front door with a crowbar.
After forcing their way in, the brazen criminals took just 30 seconds to smash a cabinet and steal an assortment of dash cam and GPS devices.
Branch manager Paul Johnston arrived at the shop to find the damage and believed the criminals were “well-organised” to commit the crime.
“They knew what they were doing, they had been in the store within a few days and cased the place because they were in and out and knew exactly what they wanted.” he said.
“We lost a few Thinkware dash cam systems and some Garmin window-mount GPS car systems, that’s pretty much all we lost.
“They took good stuff, it’s worth good money, but that’s all we lost, so it could have been worse.”
While admitting the stolen goods were top of the range, he said it was the loss of time that was more frustrating.
“The loss of stuff, so be it, it’s more the annoyance that someone has actually been in the shop when they should not be,” he said.
“It’s the frustration of having to deal with the clean-up and everything else that goes with it and the time all that takes.”
Mr Johnston revealed he spent much of Saturday cleaning up the mess and making arrangements in the aftermath.
“You spend time dealing with the police, then the crime scene guys come, then you have to get the locks changed and have the glazier come and replace the window,” he said.
“All that on top of conducting a work day, so by the time it was all over it ended up being a pretty busy 12 or 13 hour day.”
Mr Johnston said changes have been made at the store to ensure thieves would not get away with it next time.
“That’s been an additional cost to set-up that security, but anyone who comes in now, we are going to get you,” he said.
Limestone Coast Police operations manager Inspector Campbell Hill labelled the crime brazen, but admitted it had hallmarks of other business break-in’s which have occurred in Mount Gambier recently.
“We are certainly focusing on some persons of interest at the moment,” Insp Hill said.
“We have certainly identified these crimes are occurring very early in the morning and we have police who are being deployed in a variety of different ways to try and combat it.”
Saturday morning’s incident was followed by another break-in at an IGA supermarket on Suttontown Road in the early hours of Monday morning.
While admitting there had been a small spike in break-in’s recently, Insp Hill said police did not believe the incidents were linked.
“There’s nothing to really suggest any linkage between the break-ins that have occurred including the IGA break-in, so unfortunately they are all separate events,” he said.
“However, we are quite confident we are only dealing with a small number of people and are following some lines of `enquiry.”
He said these incidents are a reminder to businesses there are people out there willing to engage in this type of behaviour.
“Security camera footage can be a really handy tool in the event that you do get victimised,” he said.
“Our crime prevention members will be out and about to provide business security advice and if there are any business owners who are seeking that advice, please get in touch with the station.”
Anyone who has seen any suspicious activity or has any information related to the recent break-in’s can report it online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au or contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
