A $55,000 speed boat and trailer, pictured above, were stolen from the driveway of a Blairgowrie property, overnight Saturday 24 April.
It is unknown how the offenders were able to connect the trailer to a tow vehicle in Fawkner Avenue as the folding drawbar connection was padlocked.
Owner Nick Beveridge said Somerville detectives had put out a state-wide alert on the 7.5 metre boat which had recently received a new motor, gearbox and propeller at a cost of $30,000.
Mr Beveridge said there was no CCTV coverage of the raid and few people lived in the area of mainly by holiday homes.
He had recently bought a new steering wheel for the fibreglass boat from JV Marine which had not yet been installed.
“The thieves will have to purchase a new steering wheel so, if someone reads this that has … sold a steering wheel on Gumtree or Facebook then it may [have been] to them,” he said.
“Why would you steal a boat? It would be very difficult to sell. It’s not like you can just go and put it on online, such as on Gumtree or Facebook, like a used car, and every part has a serial number.”
Mr Beveridge warned other boat owners to remain vigilant. “There’s lots of boats in driveways and few fulltime neighbours around here,” he said.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 4 May 2021