By Brendan Rees
A brazen Christmas Grinch has been captured on CCTV breaking into a tradie’s ute at Fountain Gate Shopping Centre while dangling a cigarette from his mouth.
Mark Shepherd had barely left his car for about 20 minutes after parking it on the rooftop near the Myer entrance about 3.30pm on Saturday 14 December when the bandit made his move.
Footage from the back of the ute shows a man in a singlet and cap casually looking around as he walks up to the Ford Ranger before forcing the locks to the back canopy using what appears to be a pair of multi-grips.
Mr Shepherd, whose car has been the target of four break-ins this year, said the man “snapped off the locks” within a matter of seconds.
“They couldn’t get underneath because the back of the ute’s got a lockable door,” he said.
“He walked away with nothing.
“You see him shutting the door and he walks back to his car … empty handed.
“If I didn’t go look at bloody food on the way out I would’ve come across him on the way out,” he said.
Mr Shepherd, a self-employed electrician, said the man got away in a white Toyota sedan with registration ZHG 737.
The footage has been handed to Casey Crime Investigation Unit who are investigating.
Mr Shepherd said he had recently replaced the locks on his ute after it was broken into at the carpark of Timbarra P-9 College in Berwick while he took his kids to basketball.
The incident, also captured on footage, showed a thug stealing about $4,000 worth of his tools.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
