A devastated 13-year-old Sebastopol boy with special needs has called on a thief to return his Xbox after he spent months saving up pocket money for it.
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Phoenix P-12 Community College student Alie Kabia came home from a dinner with his family on March 18 to find their house broken into, with the Xbox missing from a bedroom.
Alie’s mother, Rhonda Branch, said the theft had dealt a heavy blow to her son.
They have done it tough in recent years with Alie’s father unable to be at home with his children and a stillbirth death sending shockwaves through the family.
“We’ve been through a hard life,” Rhonda said.
“When we came back into the house to find it was gone, I was really frustrated and upset.”
Alie, who has speech difficulties, had done chores around the house to get the money for the stolen Xbox.
Ms Branch said she called Ballarat police, who were looking into the incident.
Sebastopol residents rallied to the support of the family, with Rhonda’s close friend Suzie Lewis setting up a GoFundMe page in case the Xbox does not show up.
The theft comes just days after the latest crime data revealed Ballarat ranks among the worst in the state for aggravated burglaries.
There were 70 more break-ins in the city last year compared to 2015.
In response, Ballarat-based police inspector Greg Payne told The Courier opportunistic thieves were taking advantage of lower level security in households to steal.
“The vast majority of these offences are non-confrontational, non-violent and with no physical contact with the persons’ present,” he said.
“The offenders are entering the garages and homes and stealing whatever is quickly accessible.”
Inspector Payne said 70 per cent of all aggravated burglaries committed involved unsecured garages and homes.
“It is essential that the community realises how we can prevent crime together by taking the time to secure homes, garages, cars and property (and) by not leaving valuables in unlocked vehicles or keys, bags easily accessible to opportunistic thieves,” Inspector Payne said.
If you have any information about the break-in during the evening of March 18 or the stolen Xbox, please call the Ballarat police station on 5336 6000.
