By Tate Papworth
A young Keilor arborist had equipment valued at more than $300,000 stolen in a brazen heist last week.
Security footage from the Keilor yard of Cut Above the Rest Tree Surgery shows four thieves roll under the gates about 2am on Saturday, September 29.
They make their way to the site office where the spare keys are found and then start two utes – a new Nissan Navara single cab and a 2012 Ford FG – and a Hino 500 series truck.
The vehicles were driven off in a convoy and the truck was used as a battering ram to knock down the gates.
The truck was found in Sunshine West the next morning, however Cut Above the Rest Tree Surgery director Josh Mason said there was still more than $200,000 of equipment missing.
“The two utes are still missing and they both had some fairly valuable equipment in them,” Mr Mason said. “There was a 19-metre spider lift on the back of one of them and there was also a Hino 500 series wood chipper [pictured].”
Mr Mason is covered by insurance, but said the theft will have an immediate impact on his business.
“I’ve still got 13 guys employed here,” he said. “I’m trying not to give anyone time off, but unfortunately a few have had to.”
Police suspect the equipment was stolen to order.
Mr Mason has asked the community to keep an eye out. “I’ve got a pretty good network of people in the industry looking out for it – there’s serial numbers on the machines and that sort of thing so I think it’ll pop up eventually.”
