CCTV footage from the BP service station in Buninyong and the Midlands Golf Club shows the same man, fat and wearing a yellow hoodie, ransacking each business early on Friday.

A woman is also seen in the Buninyong CCTV footage.

In another burglary, thieves, believed to be the same pair, targeted the Caledonian Garage in Water Street, Ballarat East, early on Thursday.

Caledonian Garage's 98-year-old owner, Eric Carthy, said he was saddened by the break-in.

"They only took a money bag with $10 of 50 cent coins in it, but they destroyed the door," Mr Carthy said.

"They just made a huge mess. They have gone through all the drawers, but they didn't take much."

He said the burglars cut through the wire screen on his door and smashed through glass to open the lock.

Meanwhile, Buninyong Newsagency and service station owner Ron Delaland said he was only minutes away from catching the thieves in the act early on Friday.

"About 3.50am the alarm went off and I came flying down because I only live around the corner," Mr Delaland said.

"Within five seconds they had smashed all the door in and got inside... they pinched cigarettes and I only missed them by about a minute.

"The CCTV shows a man and a woman, with the man wearing a yellow hoodie."

It was then about 4.30am that a man wearing the same clothes is seen on CCTV footage burgling the Midland Golf Club's bistro area.

Function manager Kelly Linton said security called her after their alarms went off.

Ms Linton said the CCTV showed the man ransacking the bar area, carrying a crow bar.

"He didn't take anything, so he was obviously looking for money," she said.

"This is about the third time it's happened this year... it's just a worry when we're actually here."

Ballarat Police Criminal Investigation Unit Senior Constable Chris Brown said police believed all of the burglaries had been carried out by the same offenders.

Police are yet to make any arrests.