Wig-wearing thief shatters holiday dream Chris Brennan chris@baysidenews.com.au THE retirement holiday dreams of an elderly Patterson Lakes couple have been shattered by a “wannabe rastafarian” thief who stole their $70,000 caravan from the driveway of their home in broad daylight. Ron and Leonie Higman were just days from setting off on a three-month outback holiday adventure to Darwin when their fully loaded Jayco Sterling caravan was stolen on Thursday 10 July. Not only was the caravan locked and secured at the top of their driveway by a wheel clamp, tow-bar lock and wheel chocks, the couple was also at home just metre away in their back garden when the brazen thief struck around midday. Neighbours even saw the wig-wearing dreadlocked thief in action atop the caravan earlier in the morning but assumed he must be a workman carrying out repairs for the couple. Mr Bagman, 72, said that while the caravan, which they had bought in January, was insured, “our peace of mind, our time, six months of planning, are not”. “This has knocked the wind out of our sails; we’re devastated,” he said. “He’s stolen more than just our caravan, he’s stolen our holiday and our sense of security. “The caravan was fully loaded and ready to go with all our food, clothes, books, cameras – everything we needed for the next couple of months. “But that’s all gone now. That’s it as far as our holiday goes. We’ll have to start again from scratch.” Kingston police believe the robbery
was the work of a “serial caravan thief” who has been active in Melbourne’s outer suburbs and have urged caravan owners to be vigilant. However, detectives are optimistic the man will soon be apprehended after obtaining clear descriptions of his “unusual” appearance and CCTV footage of the “distinctive” four-wheel drive utility he has been driving. Footage of the thief driving off with the Bagman’s caravan was captured by a neighbour’s security camera, while further footage was obtained following two unsuccessful robbery attempts in Monbulk two weeks earlier. Police said the man stole number plates from a vehicle at a Rowville golf course to use to disguise his getaway vehicle on 30 June. He then drove to a house on Old Emerald Rd in Monbulk where he hitched a $50,000 caravan to his ute about 3.50pm. However, the female owner arrived home just in time, catching the wouldbe thief as he was about to drive off. After being confronted by the owner, the man quickly unhitched the caravan and took off. It’s believed the same man targeted a caravan advertised for sale in Fairydale Rd about five hours later. The man made arrangements to see the caravan about 6pm but failed to turn up. The owner later noticed a car pull into his driveway about 9pm. After being asked what he was doing, the man said he wanted to test whether he could hook the caravan up to his car. The owner told the man to leave, which he did. Detective Sergeant Mick Coughlan of Kingston crime investigation unit said
Daylight robbery: Retired Patterson Lakes couple Ron and Leonie Higman, right, were just days away from a long-planned outback holiday adventure when their caravan, similar to the one pictured top left, was stolen by a man described by police as “wannabe rastafarian”. CCTV footage of a distinctive dual-cabin 4x4 utility vehicle driving off with the caravan, above, was captured by a neighbour’s security camera. Main picture: Gary Sissons
police were hopeful members of the public would be able to help identify the thief. “He’s been seen by a few people now so we’ve been able to obtain a pretty good description of his appearance, as well as footage of the vehicle he’s been driving,” Sergeant Couglan said. “He’s a short, slim Caucasian male aged 30-40, about 160 centimetres tall,
clean shaven and with a bald, or shaven head. He seems to have a thing for wigs. He’s been seen wearing a brown wig and then later a dark dreadlock wig. “But it’s the vehicle which is our clearest lead. It’s very distinctive, a white dual-cab 4x4 utility with a silver tray and spare wheel and jerry can behind the cabin, and a roof rack on top. “So we’d ask anyone who’s seen a
vehicle fitting this description or whose seen any suspicious activities in either area around the time of the incidents to contact police as quickly as possible.” Call Kingston crime investigation unit on 9556 6565 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Further information and images are available at www.vicpolicenews.com.au/news/4036-wannaberastafarian-serial-caravan-thief
Consultation plan ‘no con job’ Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au
Seeking feedback: Kingston mayor Paul Peulich. Picture: Gary Sissons
KINGSTON Council is pushing ahead with its plan to restructure its community consultation process to replace the existing village committee forums. Feedback is being sought on a ‘revised community consultation structure’ which would see village committees replaced by “project and theme based” committees. The new groups would look at specific community concerns and report to council. However, critics of the new consultation system believe this would ensure council could decide which problems are publicly aired. Village committee representatives
were able to bring problems to councillors’ attention at monthly council meetings open to the public. Kingston Mayor, Cr Paul Peulich, admitted council would have “more control” over the consultation process when questioned by The News but said this was necessary to “stop the politicisation and hijacking of certain committees by special interest groups.” Cr Peulich said village committee members were welcome to participate in a focus group looking at how the new community consultation process would work in practice. “We recognise local knowledge and is important and project based committees would enable Kingston residents to engage their expertise in a particular subject,” he said.
The village committees system of consultation - placed on hold last month until council decides how to structure the revised consultation process - had led to lengthy feedback sessions at monthly council meetings due to the sheer number of subjects raised en masse, according to Cr Peulich. “Other people and groups attend council meetings and it was unfair to them to have to wait hours to hear about other issues,” he said. Appointed residents of nine Kingston village committees have provided feedback to council on issues affecting since their establishment in 1997. A review of the villages committees was begun by council in July last year. Several village committee members are unhappy that they were not consult-
DIAMOND CONCEPTS FOR AN APPOINTMENT CALL
ed on the suspension of the committees and regard the outcome of council’s review as being predetermined. Cr Peulich said Kingston was the only council in Victoria which operated a village committees system, as far as he was aware. Implementing a community consultation process would bring Kingston Council into line with neighbouring municipalities, according to the mayor. He said ratepayers could still ask councillors about community concerns at ward meetings. Council has used project based committees for feedback on projects such as the revamp of the Moorabbin Junction. See www.kingston.vic.gov.au or call council on 9581 4904 to get involved.
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SUITE 1B, GROUND FLOOR MILLENIUM HOUSE 1251 NEPEAN HIGHWAY, CHELTENHAM VIC 3192 Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 16 July 2014
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