Family scared for safety after three cars stolen from Big Hill home

"We have to sleep with the lights on," said Emma, who remains too frightened to give her full name.

"You picture them in your house.

"I have a little boy. I'm scared to be at home on my own with him."

Thieves targetted the woman and her family early on February 1 while they were asleep, with intruders breaking into the house to track down car keys.

It is not an isolated incident in Bendigo.

The increase in reports of burglaries and car thefts led to a community meeting at Strathfieldsaye earlier this month at which 200 people sought a solution to the growing crime problem.

Emma and her husband moved to Big Hill six months ago because they thought it was a safe area.

"We've considered moving [since the break-in], but then you think, it's happening everywhere in Bendigo." she said.

Emma, her husband and their two-year-old son were at home the night of the break-in. Emma's mother was also staying that night.

Emma's husband had accidentally left his car unlocked and, using the fob left in the centre console, they entered the house through the garage and removed the keys to Emma's, her husband's and her parents' cars.

A neighbour woke them at 1.30am after becoming suspicious when the three cars left the driveway within half-an-hour.

Emma's car was recovered on February 2 in Quarry Hill. It had no visible damage, but Emma says she's still scared to drive it.

"My husband has to drive it because I don't feel safe," she said.

"As much as it looked like they hadn't done much in it, you don't know."

Her husband's car was found "totalled" a few hours after the theft.

A hunting knife had been left behind in the car.

"The police are very quick to tell us that if we were to disturb these kids while they're in the house, they would probably scarper," Martin, Emma's father, said.

"But the fact that there's weapons, I just fear that they'd be like a feral cat you'd cornered."

Emma's parents' car was recovered by police four days later after a car chase. It has not yet been returned.

"The tow truck driver that picked it up in Golden Square said the brakes were still smoking nearly an hour after the chase," Martin said.

Emma and Martin estimated the car thefts and damage had left them $30,000 out of pocket.

Police said that nobody has been arrested for the house break-in, but one person has been charged and is before the courts for one of the car thefts.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Emma said police had advised her it was unlikely the people who took her cars would return.

She claimed, however, they have been back twice, checking for unlocked doors on all the cars on the street.

"Something needs to be changed," Emma said.

"These kids are being caught, but they're going back out and they're doing it again."

"There's nothing to stop them re-offending," Martin said. "The kids know it."

Emma said the police told her the only way to bring down the rate of car thefts in Bendigo was to "stop being easy targets".

This meant making sure cars and houses were locked.

"I know where they're coming from," Martin said.

"Up until two weeks ago, we slept with the doors open. It's been a very rude awakening."