Thieves target gaming gear
COMPUTER technician Daniel Fuller received a strange phone call just before close of business on Thursday.
Yesterday morning he turned up at his Brisbane Rd service and repairs store, PC Plus, to discover thieves had smashed their way in and stolen thousands of dollars worth of computer equipment.
"I got a phone call about 5.30pm (Thursday) from a guy asking when we shut," he said. "I told him 5.30 and he hung up. I thought it was a bit strange."
High-end gaming gear and computer parts were targeted in the break-in which led Mr Fuller to believe the offenders knew exactly what they were doing.
They turned off the power at the main switch to avoid being caught on security camera and used an object to smash through perspex and fibro to gain entry.
Once inside they picked particular items of value - parts and equipment that could easily be sold on the black market, Mr Fuller said.
"I think they knew what they were doing," he said, adding it would be difficult to work out how much was stolen until a stock-take, given the way thieves carefully selected items from stock.
It could have been worse.
Mr Fuller worked late on Thursday to deliver about $25,000 worth of computer gear to his clients and thankfully got the orders away before the store was robbed.
But the burglars also got lucky. PC Plus rarely keeps anything of value in stock, but on this occasion there was a fairly big selection of computer parts and gaming gear.
Thieves even unscrewed the cash register from the counter and took it with them. The combined cost of repairing damage and replacing stolen property was estimated at more than $10,000.
Gympie police were investigating a string of break-ins of business premises along Brisbane Rd this past week, but said there was no evidence to link them.
It was believed thieves cut through wire fences to gain access into Gold Star Diesel, Shift Towing and a car yard to steal various items of value. Forensic officers dusted for fingerprints but suspect the offenders wore gloves.
Anyone with information is asked to phone police on 5480 1111 or anonymously to 1800 333 000.
