Police in ramraid hunt

By SHAUN INGUANZO
POLICE are on the hunt for the people who smashed a car through a shopfront and stole $30,000 worth of electrical goods in Boronia last week.
Police believe thieves reversed a stolen VK Holden Commodore into the shopfront door of the John Alan Bulk Store Retravision along Boronia Road, Boronia about 5.20am on Friday, 26 August.
Police said the thieves then raided the store, taking plasma screen televisions, digital cameras and a stash of other electrical goods to the value of $30,000.
Police said the damage caused to the building was estimated at $20,000, and believed that thieves used a second vehicle to make their getaway.
Knox Criminal Investigation Unit Detective Sergeant Bill Chrisant said Boronia uniformed police attended the scene after an alarm was triggered at 5.20am, but the thieves had already fled.
He said the crime had been planned.
“There was substantial damage because they had pushed whole aluminium frame doors right into the shop, which is partly why there is so much damage,” he said.
“It was well planned. They obviously would have conducted surveillance in the shop before they planned this.”
Det Sgt Chrisant said the car’s force also damaged stock near the front door.
He said the only people who were near the store at the time of the ramraid were staff from a nearby bakery and a passerby.
Det Sgt Chrisant said the bakery staff could not hear the incident as their machinery was too loud, and that the passerby did not witness it, but noticed the Commodore resting in the shopfront and contacted police.
The Mail contacted Retravision on Monday but the manager declined to comment.
Police are calling for anyone with information relating to the incident to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or Knox CIU on 9881 7999.