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Police alarm on garage burglaries

Jacinta CantatoreHarvey-Waroona Reporter
Police are urging Eaton and Australind residents to lock up their garages after a spate of recent thefts.
Camera IconPolice are urging Eaton and Australind residents to lock up their garages after a spate of recent thefts.

Police are urging Eaton and Australind residents to lock up their garages after a spate of recent thefts.

Australind police officer-in-charge Sen. Sgt Mark Smith said high-end bicycles, sports equipment and camping gear had been reported missing from homes in the past few weeks. “So much property is being stolen from garages that have been left open,” he said.

“People think it is never going to happen to them.

“Property is being stolen that doesn’t need to be.”

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Sen. Sgt Smith said residents had reported stolen items including mopeds, scooters and even Engel fridges.

In some cases bicycles worth more than $3000 had been stolen from homes or outside shopping centres.

Sen. Sgt Smith said he felt for the victims of these crimes but there were crime-prevention steps they could take.

“You wouldn’t leave the front door of your house open, but that is basically what people are doing when they leave their roller door up,” he said.

“It makes it so easy for thieves — don’t make it easy for them.

“They do it because they can, because the opportunity is there.”

Sen. Sgt Smith said an open garage or sliding “shoppers” doors could be easy targets for crimes of opportunity.

Sen. Sgt Smith encouraged people to report suspicious activity to police, rather than shrugging it off or notifying community-based social media groups.

“If you see or hear something unusual, please let us know,” he said.

“We really feel for the victims of these crimes.”

He urged people to report suspicious activity to their local police on 131 444, or to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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