"I feel violated," Shannon Johnson said.

“I’m not so much concerned about myself or my partner, but I had a 17-year-old girl upstairs with her door wide open.

“You should feel safe in your own home. And you get paranoid after something like this – I’ve changed every lock now."

Ms Johnson's partner got up for work about 5am on Tuesday morning, only to find their French doors had been slung wide open, with keys, wallets, purses and clothing taken.

But as soon as he went outside he realised their brand new Nissan X-Trail and Subaru Liberty had disappeared.

Ms Johnson said her family has been left scared and distressed following the break-in, especially as her daughter is in the middle of midyear exams, hoping to get into medicine.

Ballarat police were on the scene within minutes, collecting evidence and giving Ms Johnson’s daughter a lift to school.

“Can I say, the police were amazing, they have been so accommodating and have kept us informed," Ms Johnson said. "They work really long hours and they’re really hard workers. I hand it to them, I really do.”

One day later Ms Johnson’s Nissan turned up, burnt to a blackened crisp along a country road near Dunnstown. Her partner’s Subaru was also found thrashed, but with it there was a breakthrough.

The offenders had accidentally left some of their items in the car which police said may lead to a DNA sample, according to Ms Johnson.

Ms Johnson said officers told her they were responding to more and more car thefts and subsequent fires across Ballarat recently.

“Police are saying it’s happening nonstop at the moment,” she said.

“They believe they’re kids getting in and stealing what they can. But these kids are being almost arrogant, taking these cars for joyrides like it’s a joke.”