By JESSE GRAHAM
POLICE are on the hunt for thieves who made off with tens of thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes, after a number of break-ins through the Yarra Valley and Dandenongs.
At 2.20am on Thursday 2 April, two masked men got out of a car at Tecoma’s BP Service Station on Burwood Highway and smashed through the front window.
The pair is believed to have made off with $20,000 worth of cigarettes, according to Lilydale Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) Detective Sergeant Mark Smithwick.
Almost a week later, at 1am on Wednesday 8 April, the BP Service Station on the Warburton Highway in Lilydale was also broken into, this time by three people.
About $250 was taken from the store, and the same three people broke into a service station in Yarra Glen shortly after, this time taking ice creams.
“We believe they were after cigarettes,” Det Sgt Smithwick said.
Det Sgt Smithwick said that police were currently investigating whether the Tecoma incident and the other two were linked.
Anyone with information on any of the burglaries are asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or to submit a confidential crime report to www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
