Trail bike riders suspected in big heist at Modewarre

Alex de Vos
Winchelsea police are investigating one of the district’s biggest robberies.
Police believe a team of trail-bike riders might be responsible for the “organised” theft of more than $7000 worth of power tools and equipment from a concrete mixing plant at Modewarre.
Leading senior constable Gavin Duncan said the thieves used blowtorches to break into two shipping containers to steal equipment including a welder, battery chargers, socket sets and a generator.
“They used a wheelbarrow to cart the stolen gear through the front gate – they obviously spent a bit of time doing it,” Snr Const Duncan said.
He believed the heist might be the biggest to hit the Winchelsea area.
“Generally, in an area like this you don’t really expect this kind of thing to happen – it’s definitely significant,” he said.
“Over the weekend a lot of people come down here to use trail bikes and the like and possibly someone has ridden past and seen this opportunity.
“We believe it’s been done by someone with knowledge of the area.”
Snr Const Duncan said the thieves carried out their raid between Friday afternoon and Monday morning.
He urged anyone with information to contact Winchelsea Police.
“We’re asking for assistance from any locals out there who use that area and can even just give us a description of a vehicle,” Snr Const Duncan said.