A CHILTERN publican has swung a plank of wood at a masked intruder and says he hopes the police find him before he does.
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Wayne Lappin was sitting in bed at the Telegraph Hotel early Friday morning when he heard a noise.
He looked towards the door and noticed a light shining underneath it about 2.30am.
Realising there was an intruder inside his pub, he grabbed a piece of wood he keeps in the room, burst through the door, and swung the wood towards the offender.
Mr Lappin chased the person and another man out of the Conness Street building and says he has been left seething.
His 11-year-old daughter had been staying with him last week in a room that was rifled through during the break-in.
"I'm not too worried about that sort of stuff, I can handle myself," he said.
"But if they had have done that when my daughter was in there, the gloves would have come off.
"That's what upsets me the most."
The second man had been watching the door during the break-in, one of three in the region overnight.
They made off with money and 40 to 50 packets of cigarettes from the pub.
"I work 100 to 120 hours a week and it's a pretty quiet at this time of the year," Mr Lappin said.
"It's hard to make ends meet in the quiet weeks.
“For someone to come in and take money, it hurts you and puts you behind the eight-ball.
"I nearly got him (with the wood).
"I wish I had have gotten him.
“I just hope the police get him before I do.”
Mr Lappin said the man had had his face covered and didn’t see the second man.
Thieves also broke into the Black Bull Golf Club in Yarrawonga about 12.35am, using force to smash their way inside.
After leaving with a safe - which was later recovered - it appears the thieves targeted the Bundalong Cafe before leaving empty handed.
A red car spotted by a resident near the golf club's pro shop is the focus of the police investigation.
Detectives believe two males were involved in all three break-ins.
"We're mainly interested in focusing on the vehicle," Detective Sergeant Graeme Simpfendorfer said.
“The description (of the offenders) is limited.
“We still canvassing all the footage around those towns.”
Detective Sergeant Simpfendorfer said the red car had a loud exhaust and is likely to have been seen by several people while travelling between the businesses.
Anyone with information can call Wodonga police on (02) 6049 2600 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
