By ANEEKA SIMONIS
BRAZEN car thieves, who stole two luxury cars from a Berwick dealership last week, struck again hours after their first heist – taking off with a $65,000 Audi.
Shockingly, the second steal is believed to have been carried out by the bold thugs driving a previously stolen $80,000 Mercedes Benz.
About 6.15am on Friday 6 February, three men aged between 20 and 30 broke into a champagne-coloured 2006 Mercedes sports car and a Holden HSV ClubSport at the dealership along Princes Highway, up from Clyde Road.
To avoid cement bollards blocking their escape, the men then drove the cars through a glass window of the empty used car showroom and out another glass window on the other side and onto Princes Highway, leaving masses of glass and broken window frames in their wake.
Police, who were on scene soon after, inspected the damage – including a bumper bar left on the showroom floor which is believed to have belonged to one of the stolen vehicles.
But in a twist that took police by surprise, the gang returned to the dealerships and took off with a third luxury car – a $65,000 black Audi wagon.
Two of the three men who are believed to have used keys stolen from their earlier raid snatched the wagon about 12.15pm – hours after the police investigation began.
It is believed the thieves used the stolen champagne-coloured Mercedes to drive to the Berwick car dealership for their second strike.
There were no police officers at the scene when the pair returned.
Detective Senior Constable Angela Butler from Casey Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) said surrounding businesses, such as the Shell service station, provided CCTV footage which had been released in the hope of tracking down the brazen thieves.
Police managed to recover the HSV ClubSport which was later found in Station Street, Cranbourne, about 8am that morning but are yet to locate the other two cars.
The total value of the stolen cars is estimated to be around $215,000.
Police said the men involved were Caucasian and were wearing black clothing during both heists.
Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visitwww.crimestoppers.com.au.
