A VICTORIA Point woman has released CCTV footage of the moment her son’s car was broken into.
It comes after a spate of unlawful entries into vehicles at Mount Cotton were reported to police last week.
Melissa Royle said her son’s Volkswagen Golf was parked at her Chestnut Crescent home when it was targeted about 1.15am on Friday, October 12.
One person – who appears to be a male – was captured on CCTV looking through the small car, checking its seats, console and dash area before feeling the inside of the cabin’s roof.
Two others were loitering nearby at the time.
One held the driver’s door open as it was being searched while the other walked briefly onto Ms Royle’s driveway, before looking towards the camera and then walking out of view.
The person who entered the car jogged away when the home’s front light was switched on.
The footage later shows what appears to be the cabin light of another car parked across the road being activated before the trio cycle away on bikes.
Ms Royle said the incident had her worried for her family’s safety.
She said she did not realise her son’s car was targeted until a neighbour – who believed they had been robbed of property – asked to watch the footage captured.
Ms Royle’s CCTV looks over her driveway, street and houses across the road.
“I saw three young fellas going up and down the street,” Ms Royle said.
“It’s getting ridiculous.”
Cleveland police said they had received at least two reports of unlawful car entries at Chestnut Crescent for Friday, October 12, urging people to contact them if they were targeted.
The incidents have come after nine reports, related to unlawful car entries and attempted vehicle entries at Mount Cotton between Sunday, October 7 and Tuesday, October 9, were made to police.
The spate at Mount Cotton prompted a warning from Bayside Patrol crime prevention coordinator Sergeant Chris Hebblethwaite for people to lock their cars.
He described offenders who stole from vehicles as unsophisticated crooks, who moved from one unlocked car to another.
Ms Royle said her son was confident his Volkswagen Golf was locked at the time because of its automatic locking function, only realising it was left open when the CCTV footage was reviewed.
Ms Royle blamed drugs, the area’s growing population and and bad parenting for crime.
She said she installed CCTV at her home one year ago because of property offences in the vicinity and was saddened her son’s car was targeted.
Those with information can contact Policelink on 131 444 or make an anonymous report to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.