NEWS DESK
Tools theft blow to men’s shed Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au DROMANA Men’s Shed members are reeling after tools worth $12,000 were stolen from their Pier Street premises last week. Club vice-president Graeme Morris said the intruders may have cased the building as they were able to quickly disable CCTV cameras and even run off with the monitor – foiling attempts to identify them. The thefts occurred on Saturday or Sunday night, 23-24 June. Members were alerted by a woman walking her dog who saw the door open and raised the alarm on Monday morning. Mr Morris said the thieves caused extensive damage while gaining entry, bending steel doors with a crow bar and smashing door locks. A shipping container was also broken into and ransacked. The burglars turned off power to the shed before embarking on an hour-long stealing spree. They went from bench to bench, unscrewing and dismantling tools and equipment – electric and manual – before loading them into a wheelie bin which they pushed across the Nepean Highway overpass to a getaway car up to six times each way. A neighbour found the bin the next day on the other side of Nepean Highway. Detectives from Mornington Peninsula CIU who are investigating the burglary
were given a list over four foolscap pages of missing tools – with possibly more to come when the club’s 70 members do an audit. “Every time we start looking we find more things missing,” Mr Morris said. Some is high-end equipment, such as a nail-gun generator and Hitachi drop saw, but also missing are electric planes, belt sanders, clamps, biscuit cutters, drills, batteries and chargers, compressor leads, spray painting guns, hand saws, hammers and myriad other items still being assessed. “We’ve got to replace everything now,” Mr Morris said. “We’ve got to check our insurance policy and, of course, pay the $1000 excess before we can claim anything.” Mr Morris praised the staff at Bunnings Rosebud who donated a $300 drop saw and $200 drill as well as batteries and a charger. “They were so generous,” he said. While the burglary is being investigated, Mr Morris said he would lobby members for $20 each to pay the insurance excess and get their recovery back on track. “Everyone’s in favour of it,” he said. The club will now install new, tamperproof CCTV equipment, high up and protected by a steel cage. Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Leading Senior Constable Gary Emery on 5978 1300 or Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.
WHAT’S ON AT NEPTOURS
*CROWN CASINO – MONTHLY*
MAMMA MIA
Casino’s bus program with a Princess Theatre great BUFFET lunch (all) $40. Wed 25 Jul + Wed 15 Aug Only p/p over the age of 18 permitted. (a) $140 (p/s) $130 Thu 26 Jul • LIMITED TICKETS • (numbers permitting)
PHILLIP ISLAND TOUR THE MELBOURNE Churchill Island, Koala AQUARIUM Sanctuary, Penguin Parade Tue 10 Jul Tue 9 Oct (a) $70 (p) $60 (c) $55 (a) $95 (p) $75 (c) $70
QUEEN VIC MARKET Tue 14 Aug - All $35
SCHOOL OF ROCK Her Majesty’s Theatre from Wed 7 Nov (a) $140 (p/s) $130
VIKINGS: BEYOND THE LEGEND Melbourne Museum EVITA – THE MUSICAL with Tina Arena Tue 21 Aug from Wed 30 Jan 2019 (a) $85 (p/s) $80 (a) $140 (p/s) $130
Neptours
Phone: 5981 1277 www.neptours.com.au
On the drawing board: Mornington Peninsula Shire planner Jo-Anne Elvish, Cr Rosie Clark, Cr Bev Colomb and civil design engineer Tom Haines-Sutherland at the athletics track and soccer pitches at Civic Reserve, Mornington. Picture: Supplied
Civic works on track
SPORTY types in Mornington can look forward to using a new athletics track and four soccer pitches at Civic Reserve, Mornington. The $6.25 million project had been made possible with a $3 million federal government community development grant, with the shire contributing $3.25 million. The council agreed at its meeting on Tuesday 26 June to accept a tender for the works. Construction is expected to begin in August and, hopefully, be completed by May next year. The improved facilities will better meet the needs of Mornington
Athletics Club, Mornington Little Athletics Club and Mt Martha Soccer Club, the council says. The reserve will feature a 400-metre all-weather athletics track, four full-size soccer pitches, space for a future pavilion, irrigation infrastructure and lighting for the soccer pitches. An extra 96 asphalt car parking spaces will be added to the 147 spaces currently being constructed. Pathways will connect the facilities to nearby residential areas, and there will be a stormwater basin, landscaping and buffer planting, and electrical upgrades. The works will be carried out as
part of council’s civic reserve master plan which requires facilities to meet the current and future needs of the community and sporting clubs. The mayor Cr Bryan Payne said the vision for Civic Reserve was to provide new athletics and soccer facilities that will improve its appearance, safety and amenity. He said the all-weather track would allow the athletes and little athletes to train and compete at an “international standard” facility. “Mt Martha Soccer Club has grown significantly over the past few years and now has more than 400 players,” he said.
DO YOU NEED MORE STORAGE?
FOR SALE Shipping Containers
Water & Vermin Proof Buy a Container for Safe & Secure Storage Delivered To Your Property
CONTACT 0413 773 111
Mornington RSL Presents
YOU’LL LOVE WHAT WE DO Curtains Awnings
Blinds Shutters
FREE MEASURE AND QUOTE AVAILABLE SATURDAYS!
Mornington
FRIDAY 13TH JULY RSL EMOTIONAL RESCUE
t! Don’t Forge Thursday Night - Pot N Parma $15
Members Night Every Friday
- Raffle with plenty of prizes.
Saturday Bingo
SHOW Performing ALL the classic hits ...with songs like “START ME UP”, “BROWN SUGAR”, “JUMPIN JACK FLASH”, “MISS YOU” ...and many more
Bookings essential Dinner Available Show from 8.30pm
$20 PER HEAD
- Eyes down at 12pm. Try your luck with our rolling Jackpot Not a Member? Join up and Support your Local RSL
We’d love to see you!
27 Virginia Street, Mornington Phone: 5975 2106 Bookings Essential
Book your free home appointment today
call 03 5975 9366.
www.shadesofaustralia.net.au Shop 8a, 1-13 Tyabb Road (cnr Nepean Hwy) Mornington Mornington News
3 July 2018
PAGE 3