Plumber Charged with Receiving Stolen Hot Water System

After a burglary on a Home Group site in Kooyong Road, Rivervale PACT investigators installed GPS tracking devices at the site on July 6th. On July 10th one of the GPS tracking devices was activated after a hot water unit was stolen from its installed position.

The hot water unit was tracked to a set of residential units approximately 200 meters from the building site.

With the ongoing theft of hot water units from building sites, PACT investigators liaised with Cannington Police to assist in ongoing investigations to establish a supply chain to the end-user of stolen goods.

With assistance from WA Police, PACT investigations have recovered numerous stolen hot water systems from social media buy and sell pages after posing as buyers. In recent times the sale of stolen hot water systems through the buy and sell pages has reduced so we look towards alternative means to identify how thieves move stolen goods to the end-user.

PACT investigators conducted a period of covert surveillance and on July 31st identified a white plumbers van as a suspect vehicle involved in the transporting of the stolen hot water unit. The vehicle was followed to a residential address in Scarborough where the male driver was observed to be working as a plumber. Investigators provided Police with the additional details and officers immediately attended the address. A search of the identified vehicle located the stolen hot water unit.

The male driver, a plumber, admitted buying the hot water unit from a ‘mate’ in Kooyong Road, Rivervale, and as a result he has been charged with receiving stolen property with the male from Kooyong Road to be charged with stealing. The property was recovered and will be returned to Home Group.

This highlights the importance of reporting all crime and if not for the initial report and reactive strategy implemented by PACT Investigators the 2nd theft would have occurred with little or no chance of a positive outcome.

This brings the total number to 20 offenders charged, as a direct result of GPS tracking of building site assets through the PACT Site Security Program.

If you wish to discuss how you can assist the building and construction industry and your business reduce crime call 1800 272 836 or go HERE to leave your details.

PACTAugust 5, 2020#mbawa, #ccfwa, #udiawa, #wapolice, #reducecrime, #pactsitesecurity, #buildingandconstruction, #crime, #gpstracking