THIEVES are continuing to target tradies across Bendigo, with an number of reports of stolen tools and trailers in recent weeks.
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In the latest in the ongoing spate of thefts, Golden Square builder Brendan James had his entire trailer stolen from a building site in Marong on Sunday night.
Police recovered the trailer nearby, but $20,000 in tools were missing.
Mr James said it was a major setback for his business.
“It’s going to be pretty hard. I’m lucky because I had insurance, but the time it takes to replace it all, to go through the insurance company, it’s difficult,” he said.
“It’s going to take a number of weeks to sort out.
“I thought I’d done everything to keep it all locked up with trailer locks, but it looks like they used a grinder to remove the locks and steal it.”
The trailer was kept at a house construction site on the corner of Edwards Road and the Calder Alternative Highway.
The thief first breached a gate before gaining access to the trailer.
It contained everything needed for Mr James to operate his business, including drop saws, nail guns, laser levels, a Ramset gun, power drills and angle grinders.
Even the nuts and bolts were stolen, before the trailer was abandoned down a nearby track.
Mr James said his trailer was the third from the same trailer business to be stolen over the weekend, as the thefts continue to make life hard for Bendigo’s tradies.
“Speaking to a bloke at Hume and Iser, I was told quite a few have been happening in the last couple of weeks,” he said.
“My trailer was the third to be stolen over the weekend as well.
“It’s just the loss of income that’s the biggest problem.”
A thief stole tools from a toolbox in the tray of a ute at a house in Golden Square last week.
One week earlier, a number of tools were stolen from a garage at another house in Golden Square.
Earlier in November, several welders were stolen from a North Bendigo house.
Tools were among the most stolen items in Bendigo in recent months, along with bicycles, trailers, number plates, equipment from the yards of businesses in Bendigo and items taken from retail outlets, such as alcohol.
Anyone with information about the tool theft – or any other thefts in the Bendigo region – can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
