Cairns crime gang goes through the roof
POLICE are hunting for a balding thief and his gang who have cut through the roofs of nine businesses to steal $50,000 across Cairns.
The gang, which has struck from Woree to Holloways Beach, were "organised and sophisticated", Cairns CIB
officer-in-charge Det Sen-Sgt Ed Kinbacher said.
Chemists, supermarkets, sporting clubs and a carwash cafe were targeted between January 10 and February 19.
The thieves smashed their way into Lynchy's IGA at Holloways Beach with crowbars and used trolleys to steal 100 cartons of cigarettes and a safe.
Wearing balaclavas, they set off the security alarms, but then disarmed the device.
"The method of entry changes; it could be two different groups working separately over town," Sen-Sgt Kinbacher said.
"We don't know. But there's a great level of sophistication in these particular offences.
"(They are) breaking through the roofs and using metal snips to get through the roof, they are deactivating alarms and they are simply kicking out the interior roofs and getting themselves into the building.
"Now also, they are breaking glass doorways and with brute force entry.
"(And) the manner of the instances vary between offences. Principally through roofs, and in some instances the offenders have targeted poker machines and safes."
CIB released CCTV footage from a Manunda business yesterday in a bid to track down the offenders.
Police are looking for information on a man described as being Caucasian, appears to be in his 30s, balding and wears a grey baseball cap.
"The balding head on the older male is quite unusual because he's from a different demographic than our normal break and enter offenders," Det Sen-Sgt Kinbacher said.
Anyone with information should call Cairns police on 4030 7000 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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