By Marcus Uhe
Beaconsfield businesses are picking up the pieces after they were victims of brazen daylight burglaries on Sunday afternoon.
Peter Monga and Garry Sahni from UPmarket Real Estate had just started their business and moved-in to their offices at 46-50 Old Princes Highway only weeks ago before they were alerted of the break-in over the weekend by a neighbouring business.
The thieves targeted electronics, with laptops, computers, iPads, printers and televisions all taken, leaving their new staff with barren bare desks, before putting a hole in the wall to get into next door’s Beaconsfield Podiatry Clinic.
“We spent quite a bit of money setting it up, the walls and signs and everything,” Mr Sahni said.
“We’ve had to ask our staff to work from home now.
Mr Monga said that the event was a crushing blow with the business still trying to get off the ground.
“There’s stuff here you can always replace but plaster and stuff takes a long time to come together,” he said.
A staff member from Beaconsfield Podiatry Clinic said this sort of event is the last thing a small business like theirs needed after a difficult two years dealing with Covid-19.
“I did an estimate with the insurer yesterday and I think it was about $20,000 worth of stuff and I’m still finding stuff that they’ve stolen this morning,” the staff member said.
“They pretty much stole everything; laptops, podiatry drills, consumables that we use every day, all our shoes.
“I think I spent $8000 just to get up and running again. That’s the hardest thing.
“And then walking in this morning thinking everything else is going to be stolen because, like the police say, they probably wouldn’t come back, but if they were professional robbers, they’ll more than likely tell their mates how easy it is to get in.
A spare key was also stolen from their office, which gave the business and their staff a heightened sense of anxiety about what the future holds.
“You can do all you want with alarms and CCTV, but these people are going to find a way to get in.”
Police confirmed to the Gazette that Cardinia Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating the burglaries and are working to establish what property was stolen.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report at crimestoppersvic.com.au
