General News
30 March, 2023
Scout Op Shop ute theft disappointing, police say
Residents are urged to be on the lookout for the Maryborough Scout Op Shop’s Toyota Hilux ute, which was stolen in a brazen theft from the back of the High Street store earlier this week. It’s believed a single male offender was involved in the...
Residents are urged to be on the lookout for the Maryborough Scout Op Shop’s Toyota Hilux ute, which was stolen in a brazen theft from the back of the High Street store earlier this week.
It’s believed a single male offender was involved in the theft from the rear of the op shop, opposite the Maryborough Police Station in Clarendon Street, at around 10 pm Tuesday night.
The op shop has owned the cream coloured 1987 Toyota Hilux, which has decals of the local scout group on both doors, for around seven years.
Maryborough Scout Op Shop manager Sheryl Ford said it was disappointing the vehicle had been stolen.
“It’s disappointing, why would someone take it? I hate to think someone’s taken it out in the bush and burnt it out,” she said.
“It’s an older car but it’s done everything we’ve needed it to, it’s been reliable and a real asset to us.
“Whether we’ll ever recover it or find it again, who knows.
“We’d really appreciate if people could keep an eye out for it, you never know where it might turn up.”
Ms Ford said without the ute, collecting donations and making deliveries will be harder.
“We do have a van but the ute is much more practical to use for us, we use it to pick up donations and do smaller deliveries and our runs out to the tip,” she said.
“It is a loss for us, if someone rings and wants something small picked up it means we now have to go and pick the van up — it’s an inconvenience.”
Maryborough Police First Constable Andrea Sofo encouraged anyone with information about the theft or whereabouts of the vehicle to contact police.
“It was stolen from Clarendon Street, practically outside the police station, and was last seen turning left onto Inkerman Street and driving through the roundabout at around 10.10 pm,” she said.
“It is a disappointing incident, the Scout Op Shop is an organisation that does good for our community.
“If anyone sees the vehicle or has any information about its whereabouts, please contact me at the Maryborough Police Station on 5460-3300.”