A CRIME spree targeting eight Wodonga businesses has racked up a damage bill of more than $100,000.
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John Sharrock Motors was worst hit, with seven cars stolen between 11pm on Thursday and 3.30am yesterday.
Three of the Kendall Street car yard’s vehicles were later abandoned and torched on the oval at St Monica’s Primary School.
It took Wodonga CFA firefighters about 30 minutes to extinguish the blaze.
The remaining four vehicles have been recovered and detectives last night were interviewing three people over the spree.
The thieves also struck Wodonga Lunchbox, RMR Engineering, The Cheesecake Shop, Arkon, Border Crash Supplies, Elite Body and Paint, and Floorworld.
Wodonga Lunchbox owner Vickie Shiel said they had broken a roller door and punched a hole in the roof to drop into her takeaway shop.
The thieves fled after being disturbed by a milkman, who soon alerted police.
When Mrs Shiel arrived at the Osburn Street business, eggs had been smashed on the floor, files had been ransacked; and money, chocolate bars and drinks were missing.
Even the tip jar, containing about $100, had been stolen.
Mrs Shiel said she had been shocked when police alerted her to the break-in.
“I’m really annoyed,” she said.
“You work so very hard to earn your money and these rotten sods have got nothing better to do than destroy other people’s property.”
Mrs Shiel said nothing like this had ever happened in the two years she had owned the takeaway, or in the four years before that under a previous owner.
“I think years ago there was a bit of trouble but it’s quite a safe area now, normally,” she said.
But Mrs Shiel said her faith in humanity had been partially restored by her regular customers, who from 7am began refilling a tip jar for the unlucky employees.
