Julie Bailey and Michael Tuddenham only had their caravan for a month when it was stolen just two days before they planned to set off on holidays.
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The couple visited Jayco for some caravan parts and then went on to stock up on food for their trip away on Monday afternoon, leaving the locked caravan just outside Mr Tuddenham’s house in Bunkers Hill.
“We went out at about 4.30pm and one of the neighbours said when she drove home at about 5.30pm it was gone,” Ms Bailey said.
“So within an hour it had disappeared.”
Ms Bailey said she was not sure how the caravan was stolen with nothing left behind. Neighbours also hadn’t seen anything.
“There are only five or six houses in the actual court, just off Carngham Road, and at that time of day people are at work,” Ms Bailey said.
The caravan is usually kept in a shed, but was outside as the couple prepared to go away on Wednesday.
“We (recently) had some work done on the brakes by a mechanic and we had it plugged in for power because we were charging the fridge,” Ms Bailey said.
“We were going to go away for a week to Bright, so I’ve just had to cancel.”
Ms Bailey said the house had a long driveway and could only be seen from the court.
She believed the thieves may have been watching the house since her partner had spent a lot of time at home in the lead up to the theft.
She urged the public to be vigilant.
“Even if you’re locking things up it obviously doesn’t deter them,” she said. “Don’t leave things out.”
While the theft has been reported to police, Ms Bailey is also appealing for information from the public.
She is urging anyone who has seen the caravan or thinks they might have seen it to contact police.
The caravan is a Jayco Starcraft, white with a blue trim, single axle, single white bull bar at the back, a spare wheel mounted on the back and was bought at Hall’s Jayco in Mildura with the registration number V01302.
“It would be great to get (the caravan) back but I don’t hold much hope for that,” Ms Bailey said.
“But with social media it certainly helps because there are people out there that do care and they are seeing it and sharing it.”
Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
