Turtle park ute stolen
RANGERS at Mon Repos Conservation Park spent yesterday cleaning up after thieves stole a ute and computer equipment from their office at the national park.
Bundaberg police Sergeant Steve Schultz said rangers found items missing after arriving at the office about 7am yesterday.
He said the white ute was fitted with firefighting equipment and had the number plate UGFK-70.
A fluoro sticker with the numbers 3422 is also on the back.
Police were still searching for the vehicle yesterday afternoon.
Geoff Brittingham, regional manager for the Sunshine Coast and Burnett regions of the Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing would not comment on how the theft would affect operations at the park.
"The office at Mon Repos Conservation Park was broken into on Monday night and a number of items were stolen. Police are currently investigating the incident," he said.
"Rangers and staff will work with other department offices to ensure scheduled work can go ahead."
The NewsMail understands police are investigating possible links to a ram-raid at the Childers Pharmacy on the same night, but there is no confirmed link just yet.
Childers police Senior Constable Grant Klassen said the thieves used a vehicle to smash the front roller-door of the pharmacy at Childers Shopping Centre at 3.30am yesterday.
"Basically they've driven through the roller-door into the chemist," he said
"They've used the vehicle to ram their way in and then they've driven off. The vehicle appears to be a white-coloured four-wheel drive.
"It's pretty brazen."
Pharmacy manager Andrew Heathcock was alerted to the break-in after receiving a phone call from the alarm company at 3.30am.
"I drove down and the door was broken in, the bollards were broken and all my stock was pushed inside," he said.
Mr Heathcock, who only opened the pharmacy recently, said he was disgusted.
"You'd think a small town like this where everyone sort of knows each other ... I'm surprised it happened here," he said.
"We're just a new pharmacy so you never expect something like this to happen."
Mr Heathcock said it may cost up to $20,000 to fix the damage to the roller-door at the front of his shop.
Anyone with any information can contact Bundaberg police on 4153 9111.
