By Brendan Rees
A self-employed gardener said he practically brushed past a man pulling a wheelie bin full of alleged stolen goods moments after his Clyde North home was broken into.
Troy Ross said he was left devastated after coming home from work to find his Gelderland Drive home ransacked on Tuesday 17 September.
Intruders stole a laptop, and a safe containing two passports, $260 cash, his birth certificate, and other private documents.
According to Mr Ross, the intruders used a screw driver to pop open a back door between about 11.30am and 12.45pm.
“They took the whole safe because I’m renting they (landlord) didn’t let me bolt it to the wall,” he said.
He said they didn’t touch his PlayStation and iPad but did go through his pantry and oven possibly looking for cash.
“It’s a bit of a setback especially being self-employed, that’s money for bills and stuff,” he said.
Mr Ross, 32, said he was kicking himself after he had come home earlier in the day to pick up a lawn mower when saw a man dressed as a tradie pulling a wheelie bin he alleges was stuffed with stolen items from his home but thought “nothing of him”.
“He just walked it down the down the street so people would think you’re just a gardener or something,” he said.
“I missed the guy by 30 seconds. Because I was in a rush for work, just went into grab a mower, and didn’t go into the house until later that night,” Mr Ross said.
He found a back door open when he came home about 12.45pm but figured he may have left it opened.
His neighbour had CCTV footage showing a man pulling his wheelie bin, as well as a white ute possibly a new model Isuzu D-Max, used as a getaway car.
Mr Ross later found his bin dumped and emptied nearby.
“I saw the guy walking down my street with my wheelie bin and didn’t click or anything,” he said.
“I reckon they’ve been watching me because they walked straight in through the back side gate.”
Spare keys to Mitsubishi triton and trailer were also stolen which Mr Ross says he has had to replace the locks, costing him about $900.
“It sucks … you don’t feel safe in your own place,” he said.
The hardest part is knowing that I looked at the guy and just thought nothing of him.”
The man seen pulling his wheelie bin is described as caucasion, about six foot tall, aged in his early 20s, and wearing a fluro hoodie, dark hat, and work pants.
Casey Crime Investigation Unit is investigating. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
