By Brendan Rees
Footage has emerged of thugs allegedly using a stolen car to smash into a Cranbourne East shopping centre in an attempt to steal an ATM on Tuesday morning, 26 November.
Police have released CCTV which shows two males reversing a white SUV into the machine at Hunt Club Village Shopping Centre on Linsell Boulevard about 3.45am.
“The men were unsuccessful after placing a chain around the ATM and attempting to pull it out, they got back into the vehicle and drove away,” Victoria Police spokeswoman Belinda Batty said.
Nothing was stolen but the damage, which is estimated to be in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Police are appealing for anyone who may have dash cam footage in an around the Cranbourne area between 1am-4am showing the white coloured Nissan Dualis.
The vehicle, which was stolen from a Cranbourne East address the night before the incident, was found dumped nearby and bearing stolen number plates.
Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Adam Ferguson of Casey Crime Investigation Unit said he was confident police would find the culprits.
“It was pretty brazen to start with and then pretty amateurish in the end to cause approximately $100,000 damage and not steal anything,” he said.
“We will find them – there’s a forensic examination of the vehicle currently underway”.
The first male is perceived to be of islander appearance and aged in his late teens to mid-20s.
He was wearing a black coloured jacket, black pants and black shoes with a black mask covering half of his face.
The second male is perceived to be of Caucasian appearance and aged in his late teens to mid-20s.
He was wearing a black and grey hooded jumper, dark pants and coloured runners.
Shattered glass and broken door frames were scattered across the area while the ATM was partly ripped from the floor.
Police cordoned off the area with tape and scoured the scene for clues during the morning of the incident.
Neighbouring store owner of TSG Hunt Club Vinson Li said at least two shops as well as his had been hit in the past three-and-half-years.
“I have an alarm in my shop but still scared something happen. It’s lucky this time,” he said.
Sachin Behl, store owner of Dollar Essentials discount store said several stores were the target of thugs including his shop which was hit every week.
“It keeps happening so often now; just part of life, part of business,” he said.
Casey Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating and urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
