Clive community fumes as thieves target utes

27/07/2021 Two tradie flatmates in Clive were among several ute owners targeted by thieves overnight on Sunday night. Video / Supplied

A spate of ute break-ins along the main streets of Clive, including one house hit twice in
a night, has left residents feeling "angry" and "unsafe".

Police said they received four reports of cars or sheds being broken into overnight on Sunday, though at least 10 residents in the town took to social media complaining they had been targeted during the night.

One tradie, who asked not to be named, said both he and his flatmate's utes were parked down their driveway off Main St in Clive, just metres from their house.

But this didn't stop thieves rifling through their utes and taking thousands of dollars worth of specialist equipment.

"I can pretty much touch the car from my bedroom window. You'd never expect it to happen in your driveway."

A Clive resident said the alleged thieves had taken thousands of dollars worth of equipment from his and his flatmate's utes. Photo / Supplied

He believed strong winds and a bit of rain overnight on Sunday would have encouraged the thieves.

He was most frustrated that the items taken were those he and his flatmate needed for their jobs.

"It's literally useless to anyone except me or someone in my industry.

"It's not worth anything to anyone else."

While it was the first time he'd ever been burgled, he said all of his tradie mates had experienced it at least once before.

One person who knows what it's like to be targeted twice by thieves is fellow Main St resident Louise Beale.

She's lived in Clive for 15 years, and said there were occasionally spates of these types of incidents in the past, but it was happening more frequently.

Despite the family's work ute being parked in the driveway, surrounded by security cameras, lights and having two dogs, thieves smashed the back window of the ute "grabbing heaps of stuff" and a pushbike.

Two weeks earlier her son's mountain bike, worth $2500, was also stolen from the property.

"I don't think anything deters them."

Beale said she loved living in Clive because of the family lifestyle it offered but the recent crime spree had made them consider moving.

"We are up in arms as a community."

A police spokesperson confirmed enquiries were still ongoing into the recent spate of car break-ins.

She said thieves search vehicles for cash, credit cards, cheque books, sunglasses, satellite navigation systems, mobile phones, iPods, laptop computers, hand bags, stereo systems, sports equipment, clothing and any other valuable property left in a vehicle.

She also described their offending as opportunistic and relying on a range of techniques.

Car owners are advised to always take their keys when leaving their vehicle and locking it, closing all windows and to park in well-lit areas where possible.

She urged people not to leave valuables in their car.

"Thieves will break in for something as small as loose change.

"If you have to leave valuables in your car, make sure they are out of sight, but remember hiding them is not as safe as removing them."

People were also discouraged from leaving documents with personal information or keys to other buildings or items in their car.