Wyndham police are patrolling building sites on a nightly basis after a spike in onsite thefts of tools, copper and building materials.
Senior Constable Kellie Innes said police units, particularly those on night shift, have been tasked to patrol as many residential and commercial construction sites across the city as possible during the past two months.
Senior Constable Innes said Werribee Plaza’s construction site had been targeted by thieves, with a large amount of copper stolen.
The site office of the new Tarneit Community Learning Centre library on Sunset Views Boulevard was also broken into some time between 5.30pm on May 7 and its opening about 6am on May 8. Tools were stolen here also.
Homes under construction at new estates and even estate sales offices are being broken into, with copper, tools and other building equipment and materials the most commonly stolen items.
Senior Constable Innes said thefts from building sites went largely unreported.
She said thieves are targeting these sites because they are easy to access, lack CCTV and other security measures and hold a treasure trove of tools and other items that are easy to profit from.
“We have seen a drop in our residential burglaries over the past month but retail premises, factories and houses under construction are more likely to be targeted,” she said.
“It’s notoriously hard to forensically examine these sites because of the dust and dirt.”
She urged people to report suspicious behaviour to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
