2.30PM: POLICE are hunting for culprits behind a crime spree at Beechworth on Monday night.
Three businesses were broken into in Ford Street, with a Commodore in for repair stolen as the getaway car.
Cash and an iPod were stolen from other businesses in the main street, as well as a magnetic field reader that checks the strength of the emissions from power sources and computers.
A car stolen from East Albury Monday night was also found abandoned in nearby Church Street.
Beechworth Sen-Constable Andrew Deegan believes it suggests the thieves were not from the historic town.
He says valuable items overlooked by the thieves also showed a lack of sophistication.
“The offenders have gained access to the Golden Era service station by forcing a window and stealing cash and keys,” he said
“One of those keys were then used to steal a maroon commodore station wagon.
“They have then gone across the road to Blynzz coffee shop and forced entry through the front door and stolen cash before going down the road to Ikolegi and forced entry through the front door and stolen a laptop, iPod, a magnetic field reader and a brief case.
“But there was a lot of valuable items that were left behind that suggest the offenders weren’t particularly sophisticated, perhaps kids.”
Sen-Constable Deegan said nearby neighbours heard some activity about 10.30pm.
“The main street is pretty quite at that time of night, so it would have been unusual,” he said.
“But there were no reports to police to police at the time of the incident.
“We are asking the public to keep a lookout for the stolen maroon VT Commodore station wagon with a licence plate QLP-797 and for anyone who may have been driving down Ford Street or been in the area at the time and may have seen something unusual at the time.”
Anyone with information should contact Beechworth police on (03) 5728 1032 or Wodonga detectives on (02) 6049 2700.
