Gutless thieves steal volunteer firefighter's car when out on job

But the devastation that so many Ballarat and western Victorian residents have felt in recent years has really hit home after he, himself, became a victim of callous thieves this week, while he was out protecting his community.

Mr Bradford's car was stolen sometime on Wednesday night from out the front of the Buninyong CFA Station, with thieves breaking in while firefighters were out on a five-hour job.

It is believed the thieves broke in through a small window at the back of the station, rifling through belongings of volunteers, before uncovering Mr Bradford's keys in his civilian clothes.

From there, they have stolen his 2012 Hyundai, driving it to near Bacchus Marsh where they torched it, being discovered about 3.30am the following morning.

Mr Bradford said there was a sense of pure devastation when he discovered the car had been stolen and set alight.

"I'm lost for words, it's deplorable," he said.

"It's put me in a position where I can't respond until I get a replacement car. It's one member of the team down - if there's an emergency it puts the community at risk."

Mr Bradford's described it as a "good, little zip car" which he used to run around town in. He had recently purchased a booster seat for his son, who started school this week, but the young boy never got to use it.

He said what hits home is the devastation that he will now have to find about $5000 to be able to afford a new one, something he certainly does not have sitting around.

"I'm actually a personal travel manager by trade, so as you can well imagine 2020 was just a nightmare and while the dates may have changed, this is just a continuation on from that," he said.

"The insurance will pay out about $6500, but in order to get a similar type of car, I'm going to be out of pocket about $5000.

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Mr Bradford has been a volunteer for over 10 years, based around Bacchus Marsh and Buninyong, but he has been solely based in Buninyong for the past year.

"I'm just devastated. The amount of car fires I've been to, we go there in a professional capacity, but it has really sunk in it was stolen.

"But the most heartbreaking thing for me is that they have pinched it from a volunteer fire station. It's a real kick in the guts."

Mr Bradford's vehicle is understood to be at least the fifth car that has been stolen and torched around the Ballarat region in the past week.

Last Saturday, a Ford utility was stolen in broad daylight from Springmount. At least three vehicles were stolen on Wednesday with Mr Bradford's car joining others from Millbrook and Haddon, while on Thursday another car was found burning in Victoria Park.