Police are investigating the theft of cars from a home in Castlemaine early last Thursday morning.
At 12.45am, thieves entered the residence in McKenzie Hill, stealing three sets of car keys.
The offenders stole one vehicle and reversed another into the backyard of the property, where it was later found wedged in between the family’s camper and the fence.
Owner Haylee Blay said the family didn’t hear the incident, but were woken by their neighbours knocking on the door shortly after.
“The neighbours had seen smoke from my husband’s car. The back tyre was sitting on a stormwater grate with the car still going, and it caused the tyre to smoke,” Haylee said.
Local police, CFA and detectives from Maryborough Crime Investigation Unit attended the scene and the matter remains under investigation.
“Four other vehicles in the same area had items stolen,” a CIU detective told the Express.
“These vehicles were unlocked. We strongly urge residents to always ensure their homes and vehicles are locked.”
Haylee told the Express that a friend messaged her, advising her about an Instagram page with photos of stolen key fobs.
“Our keys were on the site,” Haylee said.
“How brazen, to steal our keys and put them onto Instagram.
“Now we don’t know if they’re going to come back for the other car,” she said.
“I have six children, and a son with a disability, and I can’t drive the people mover without the keys and they’ve ruined the gate so the kids can’t go into the backyard to play.”
Haylee said they’d had to change the locks on the house and were going to have to pay more than $2000 in excess on insurance.
