Two large excavators and a utility were stolen from Norwood Farm Machinery Centre on McKoy Street between 1am and 2am.

Detective Sgt Graeme Simpfendorfer said security footage showing an unknown truck in the area had led police to believe the heist was not the work of a local.

“This was well planned and executed so we will be revisiting some older files as well but we will pay particular interest to this truck and its movements,” he said.

“They look suspicious to us.

“We believe this truck, in the way that it has driven into that area — it has performed a U-turn — doesn’t display local knowledge.

“There would have been another way to turn that vehicle around without having to perform such a time-consuming U-turn.

“So on that basis, we are thinking it’s out-of-towners.

“History and the amount of effort they went to has told us before that these types of large-scale thefts can be done from out of town.”

The thieves appear to have gained entry at the premises’ south end.

An employee found the chain on the back gate cut when he arrived at work.

Norwood Farm Machinery’s Mark Moran said machines such as those stolen were often easier to find because of their size.

There also was more use of devices that allowed them to tracked.

“It’s going to hurt us like it would any business — the dollar value of the machines as well as the inconvenience of not having machines available,” Mr Moran said.

“Machines are easily tracked, being what they are, and a lot of small machines now have trackers on them so we will be able to track them that way.”

The stolen items are a Workmax 800 D utility, an 8018 1.8-tonne excavator and a 8045 4.5-tonne excavator.

Sgt Simpfendorfer said police believed there would have been more than one person involved in the robbery.

“These excavators are expensive, well made and good brands so there’s a market out there, particularly if they are going cheap,” he said.

“It’s good equipment and it’s going to sell quicker than normal, I guess, with the retail prices, that’s why they get targeted because they are expensive.”

Any drivers or road users who recognise the excavators and utility should phone Wodonga Police on (02) 6049 2600.