By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
A BERWICK husband and wife have been left terrified after a thief stole the family car from inside their garage while they were in the house.
The thief drove off with the car just before 9.30am last Thursday, ploughing through the half-open garage door at the Montmorency Avenue home.
The car keys had been left in a handbag inside the car.
Keith Aponso came within a few feet of the offender after he heard his unlocked garage door being opened while working from home.
The stolen Toyota Presara Aurion was later found damaged and dumped in Hawthorn.
A pair of Ray Ban sunglasses, gym clothes, boxing gloves and $100 cash was also stolen from the car.
“My wife went to drop the kids at school, and came back around nine-ish. She parked inside the garage and closed the door but she has left her handbag,” he said.
“She came inside and I was working from home. My phone rang at 9.17 but it cut out, then I heard my garage door opening.
“I opened the door from the house and had a look. This guy was three feet away from me, trying to get into the car.
“The garage door was open about a metre. He panicked, I panicked. I closed the door and he reversed out and drove off!”
Mr Aponso said he couldn’t believe this crime had occurred in his neighbourhood, in the middle of the morning while people were home.
He has warned others in the neighbourhood to remain vigilant.
“I’ve lived in this house for the last seven years. I haven’t lost anything, it was so safe here, the neighbourhood, but now – all my locks in the house, I’m thinking about redoing them.”
“My two sons, nine and 14, they were shocked, to be honest. Even last night I got up and checked the house.
“I’m scared in my own house.”
A handbag with credit cards inside, also dumped in Hawthorn, has been returned to the family.
Mr Aponso said the thief was a bearded man in his mid-20s, Caucasian, had black hair and was wearing a baseball cap at the time.
Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
