'Typical Ballarat': Watch scary footage of masked man in Wendouree

Footage provided to The Courier showed an individual wearing a cap, Guy Fawkes mask and carrying a large bag, inspecting the back of a ute about 1.43am on February 8, 2024.

The resident, who has not been named, said it wasn't irregular for them to have thieves attempt to break into their cars.

In 2023, they said they had caught someone in the act of checking all the door handles on their vehicle, and a few years ago they had a fridge and tools stolen from the back of the ute.

They also described the incident as "typical Ballarat", and said they always make sure their car and fly wire doors are locked in the evening.

"I never keep wallets [in there] and my car's always empty," they said.

In a statement to The Courier, a Victoria Police spokesperson said officers were focused on opportunistic offending such as home burglaries and break ins.

"Police are patrolling the community every day and night targeting criminals looking to break into cars and homes," they said.

"Our intelligence suggests that a considerable number of car break-ins occur due to unlocked vehicles. Therefore, we strongly urge the community to always secure their properties and vehicles.

Victoria Police encourages anyone observing suspicious activity to report it to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or to make a report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au