By Mitchell Clarke
A Pakenham couple – who only moved to the area nine weeks ago – have had their dream car stolen and torched during a bizarre aggravated burglary.
Cardinia Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating the incident, where it’s believed at least two people broke into a three story Lakeside townhouse in the early hours of Sunday morning, 27 September.
The residents, who have asked to remain anonymous, said they slept through the entire ordeal.
One of the victims woke around 5am on Sunday morning to find their house had been burgled.
“Everything was fine when we went to sleep, so it had to have happened between 12.30am and 5am,” the woman explained.
“When I got up, I went downstairs and saw the back door had been opened and one of the cupboard doors was also left open.”
In her half asleep state, the woman hadn’t fully processed that someone had been rummaging through her new home.
“I thought ‘oh my god’. It was all a bit strange. I was really confused and couldn’t work out what was going on,” she said.
The unknown offender/s allegedly stole the woman’s 2019 Honda Civic and handbag, as well as motorbike gear, a work phone and credit cards.
But a number of other possessions including the couple’s new TV, a laptop and new speakers, which were left in plain sight, weren’t taken.
“I thought if we’ve been burgled, they’d take more stuff. I was walking around ‘umming and ahing’ until my husband said ‘we’ve definitely been robbed’,” she added.
The couple realised their garage had also been ransacked and the woman’s distinctive orange Honda Civic had been taken.
“I just thought ‘you bastards’. I’m a sales representative, so my car is my office and of course, your handbag and wallet is also your life,” she said.
One of the stolen cards had already been used between 4am and 5am to make online purchases of up to $4000.
While there were no signs of forced entry, police believe a dodgy lock could be to blame.
But to make the situation even more unsettling, the victim believes the offender/s were possibly armed.
“I assume they’d come prepared for a fight … If you’re going to break into someone’s house, you expect them to be home, especially during this time. I think they’d come knowing they’d probably run into someone,” she said.
“Of course you go through those ‘what if’ scenarios. It could have been something more.”
Security doors, cameras and new looks have been installed at the house.
“It’s been over a week and I’m still not sleeping, but I’m sure I’ll feel better once all the new measures are in place,” she said.
“At first it was really scary and awful, but now it’s borderline laughable. I just think ‘you morons’. I’d really like to smack their faces.”
The distinctive Honda was found burnt out two days later, near the intersection of Toomuc Valley Road and Browns Road.
A number of items from the car boot – including work items and documents – were found in another stolen car.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
