THIEVES are repeatedly targeting display homes in some of the city’s core development areas – at a huge cost to developers.
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Ballarat based Langdon Building owns three display homes – two in a Delacombe Estate and one in Lucas.
In less than 12 weeks the houses have been broken into no less than 10 times.
In one, thieves – caught on CCTV footage – dismantle metal fences before entering the property’s ground and derailing both a glass and fly screen door.
The footage, lasting nearly eight minutes, shows the two unidentifiable males walking through the house. They exit with a number of television. At one point the alarm sounds, but this does not stop them. They continue to raid the house for several more minute with the alarm going before leaving.
A Langdon Building representative, who did not want to be named, said the repetitive break-ins were now “beyond a joke”.
“The houses have been broken into 11 times. One I have had for three years, the others one and a half years. Before this they were never broken into,” he said.
“They keep coming back and they see to know exactly what they are doing.”
Langdon Building display homes are fitted with state-of-the-art televisions and furniture.
“We do this for the customer experience. We don’t use fake televisions cause they cheapen the homes,” the representative said.
“(The break-ins) are costing us money … the expensive televisions are gone and the damage has to be fixed.
“That also affects our homes that are usually open during the day.”
The company has installed CCTV at a huge cost to try and deter thieves.
Ballarat Mayor Des Hudson urged people in the community, especially new developments, to be on the lookout for crime.
“Sometimes new estates are seen as a soft target … as a preventive measure we need to encourage people who see those acting suspicious to call the police,” Cr Hudson said.
Police are investigating thefts in the area including the damage done at Langdon Building. Cr Hudson said it was important for communities to become established in new areas to ensure Ballarat was a safe and desirable place to live and invest in.
“Some people are investing in CCTV, we don’t want people to live in fortresses … but it can be a good deterrent.”
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