Detectives from Frankston are appealing for information after thieves broke into a building site and took several excavators for an expensive and dangerous joy ride overnight.
Police were alerted to the incident by a witness who reported an excavator being driven down Beach Street about 2am.
When the witness confronted the offenders, he had to take evasive action to avoid being hit by the excavator before one offender asked him for cocaine and yelled, “welcome to Frankston.”
The offenders have then driven down Stanley Street and dumped the excavator in Queen Street.
Enquiries by detectives has revealed a building site on the corner of Fletcher Street and Cranbourne Road was broken into shortly before the excavator was seen in the street.
It appears several offenders gained entry to the site and stole multiple excavators causing damage.
The excavators appear to have been driven around within the site before one crashed through the site fence.
The excavator that was found dumped is believed to have also been driven up onto a footpath and used to damage a medical centre fence on the corner of Beach and Stanley streets.
Frankston Crime Investigation Unit detectives are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information or dashcam footage to come forward.
It is anticipated there is considerable damage to building works and equipment at the initial building site.
Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log onto www.crimestoppersvic.auExternal Link.
