BURGLARS used a forklift to smash their way into an office at a Mordialloc metals recycling business, lift a heavy safe containing a large quantity of cash and precious metals, and dump it over the fence into an adjoining business where they had a getaway car waiting.
The company forklift – with keys in the ignition – was found by security staff with its forks over the fence line after the raid on the Boundary Rd business, 6am, Sunday 17 July.
The offenders entered the metals recycler by pulling back a section of fence in the adjoining business, then forcing a door to the main factory and opening a roller door. Once inside they jemmied their way into a reception area and, when a siren sounded, ripped the alarm keypad from the wall and unplugged the server and CCTV hard drive from the power source.
They then stole a cash drawer containing a large quantity of coins, before going into the office where they found the safe containing second-hand gold and silver jewellery.
Using the forklift they “completely destroyed three floor-to-ceiling windows leading into the office” to get the safe which was carried over to the fence line.
Kingston detectives are reviewing previously captured CCTV footage to provide descriptions of the offenders.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 20 July 2016