'Sick of it': thieves steal 25 wheels from rental business in 10 days
A Wendouree vehicle rental business owner says he is sick of rising crime and brazen thieves after 25 wheels and tyres were stolen in three separate thefts over 10 days. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or. . .
A Wendouree vehicle rental business owner says he is sick of rising crime and brazen thieves after 25 wheels and tyres were stolen in three separate thefts over 10 days. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue readingSave 30%All articles from our website& appThe digital version ofToday'sPaperAll otherin your areaRix Cars director Darren Rix said the Howitt Street yard was targeted on Monday, August 3, Thursday, August 6 and most recently overnight between Tuesday, August 11 and Wednesday, August 12. Pictures by Lachlan BenceThe thieves left the vehicles sitting on their brake rotors after taking the expensive tyres and rims. One vehicle also had its back window smashed. Mr Rix said 25 wheels were stolen in total, and if they were to replace all of them with brand new ones it could cost more than $40,000. The stolen wheels include:10 from Hyundai vehiclesSix from Toyota vehiclesFour from Volkswagen vehiclesTwo from Suzuki vehiclesTwo from Kia vehiclesOne from a Mitsubishi vehicleMr Rix said it took about an hour each time the offenders committed the crime, and they used rocks from the train line nearby to prop the cars up. "We've got it all on camera," he said. Mr Rix said the growing crime issue in Ballarat is frustrating, and being a victim of thefts is making running a business harder. "You sponsor the community, you do the right thing in the community but it just gets harder," he said. "It's frustrating. I'm sick of it. Crime is out of control. It's not getting any better. "After posting about the thefts on social media, Mr Rix said support from the Ballarat community has been great, with many sharing information they may have on the thefts. There were 68 criminal incidents recorded in car sales yards in Ballarat in the 12 months to March, 2026 according to data from theCrime Statistics Agency, down from 90 the year before. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A confidential report can also be made online at crimestoppersvic. com. auMore from Court and CrimeAs it happensBreaking news alertBe the first to know when news breaks.