Charges following series of burglaries in Ballarat

Detectives from the Ballarat Criminal Investigation Unit and Divisional Response Unit have charged a man after seizing stolen goods including copper in Sebastopol yesterday.

Investigators executed a search warrant at a property on Vale Street, Sebastopol about 8:35am on 4 March.

They immediately arrested a 38-year-old man who was allegedly in the process of stripping copper from stolen cabling.

Also located during the search warrant were:

• Extensive amounts of copper that had been allegedly stolen overnight from houses under construction in the Winter Valley and Bonshaw areas

• an amount of building hardware and materials allegedly stolen from building sites in the Bonshaw and Winter Valley areas

• power tools/items from a burglary at Smythesdale Cemetery.

The total estimated financial impact is approximately $25,000.

Six homes under construction had copper stolen and underground power damage to the value of $500 - $3500 per house.

This damage will set construction back approximately two weeks, at a cost of $2000 per house and an additional cost to the homeowner’s mortgage.

The Sebastopol man has been charged with theft, handle stolen goods, possessing the proceeds of crime, possessing drugs of dependence and possess counterfeit money.

He was bailed to appear at the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on 27 April.

Senior Constable Darcie Sword

Media Unit

146368