By Kyra Gillespie
Police have arrested four men following a burglary at Upper Beaconsfield General Store last week.
The alleged incident occurred at the Beaconsfield-Emerald Road address at about 3.30am on Friday 16 March.
“They cut the lines at the Telstra pit which disarmed the alarms, and then entered through the front door,” business owner Mark Kelly said.
“They demolished the ATM machine which had no money in it and tried to get cigarettes which we don’t have anymore.
“They also left our store safe in the middle of the service lane because they couldn’t get to that either.”
Although the offenders didn’t get their hands on any stock of major value, the frustrated store owner has been left with an expensive clean up.
“It’s really frustrating because you work very hard to maintain a business.”
“Even though they got nothing of huge value, they made a real mess that now has to be cleaned up.
“But we’ve had a lot of support for the community which is great.
“You work very hard to do what you do so it’s really good to have that support.”
Following the incident, police executed warrants on Phillip Court and Ruffy Drive in Cranbourne later that morning.
A number of items were seized during the warrants including drugs, ammunition and a number of power tools.
Four men were arrested at the addresses.
A 35-year-old Cranbourne man was charged with a range of offences including theft of motor vehicle, burglary, possess drug of dependence and possess ammunition.
He was remanded to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on 20 April.
A 30-year-old man, also from Cranbourne, was charged with burglary and theft-related offences and remanded to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court 22 April.
The two other men, aged 34 and 29, were released pending further enquiries
