THE Bendigo Advertiser has been inundated with calls of support for business owner Beau Ritchi. 

Care Beyond Measure managing director Sam Tayeh said when he first heard of Beau's devastating story he had no hesitation in lending a hand. 

Mr Tayeh said he would offer the young tradie access to his tools. 

"I have a lot of tools in my shed that he can use if he likes," he said. 

"I felt sorry for the guy so I thought it would be a good idea to help him out."

Mr Tayeh said with his work at Care Beyond Measure, an organisation that provides in-home care services to all people, he felt it was important to be generous at this time of year.

"Care Beyond Measure is a community-minded organisation," he said. 

"I wanted to reach out and help. 

"I am happy for him to use my circular saw."

Police are still investigating the incident. 

VERY LATEST: Outpouring of support overwhelms carpenter

  
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A SMALL business owner has had his livelihood stolen by thieves.

Beau Ritchi, who runs a carpentry company, had a trailer with all of his tools taken at the weekend.

He said he was asleep about 10 metres from the trailer on Friday night when it was stolen.

“It’s a week before Christmas and I’ve had my livelihood taken away,” he said.

“I’m a self-employed carpenter and I’ve spent the last seven years building up my business and trying to better myself.

“I’ve been trying to contribute to society.

“That’s all been taken away from me in this one incident.”

Mr Ritchi said the trailer and contents, worth about $10,000, were uninsured.

“I work seven days a week to try to build up my business and the equipment I have to take on bigger jobs,” he said.

“Right now I have six months of building and renovation work ahead of me.

“I don’t have any means of completing that work.”

 The seven-by-four grey tradesman’s trailer was attached to the back of a white Ford Falcon utility.

It was parked on a nature strip on Webster Street, Long Gully, when it was stolen between midnight Friday and 8am Saturday.

“Everything in there was premium quality trade tools,” Mr Ritchi said.

“I didn’t hear anything when it was stolen.

“I’m dumbfounded I didn’t wake up.

“It’s fair to assume they’d been watching me for a while.

“It doesn’t seem like an opportunistic crime, it’s something that needed to be thought out.”  

Neighbours did not witness anything unusual.

Mr Ritchi contacted police on Saturday morning and said he hoped the offenders would feel guilty.

“It’s close to Christmas,” he said.

“I hope that might evoke some emotion in these people.”

Sergeant Tony Kekich said police were investigating the matter and warned people to look out for anyone selling a trailer or tools. 

"We’d appeal to second hand dealers, if they receive any tools over the next few days or weeks they should give us a call," he said. 

"There’s a timely warning for people to keep everything looked, remove tools from trailers and utes and make things harder for potential thieves to walk away with their property." 

Anyone with information should call Bendigo Police on 5448 1300 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.