Properties in Warrnambool, Cooriemungle and Killarney were recently targeted by thieves in three separate incidents.

A Cooriemungle home was broken into and trashed for the second time in two months. Police said offenders broke into a Princetown Road house between 5pm on August 28 and 3pm on September 2. 

Detective Senior Sergeant Richard Hughes, of the Warrnambool Criminal Investigation Unit, said offenders entered a shed and forced their way into the house by smashing through a plaster wall with a metal bar. 

He said the offenders then used the bar to smash several walls, windows, doors and cupboards. 

“They’ve also smashed the shower, bathroom taps, stove top and lighting fittings,” Detective Senior Sergeant Hughes said.

“The offenders have then exited the same way they entered.” 

Detective Senior Sergeant Hughes said nothing appeared to be stolen from the property. 

“It is the second home invasion at this residence with the first believed to have been carried out similar to this incident,” he said. “It appears to be a targeted attack by offenders who knew their way around the home.” 

He said the first incident occurred at the property on July 18. 

In an unrelated incident, a Crawley Street house in Warrnambool was broken into between 9pm on August 27 and 11pm August 31. 

Detective Senior Sergeant Hughes said offenders entered the property, which was under renovation, and stole bed linen and quilt covers, an oil heater and an NBN modem. The items were valued at $300. Meanwhile, a Killarney resident returned home to find their house had been broken into and burgled.

Offenders entered the rear of a Penshurst-Port Fairy Road property between August 20 and August 31 and forced entry into a shed by cutting open a padlock. 

The house appeared to be untouched except for a microwave oven that was stolen. 

In other news, a brazen thief stole a set of keys from the ignition of a vehicle in Mortlake. Detective Senior Sergeant Hughes said a white 1985 Ford Laser sedan was parked in the driveway of a Shaw Street address on Sunday. 

The owner took a load of items from her car into the house between 8am and 9am and when she returned, she noticed the driver’s-side door was wide open and the keys had been removed. 

Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Warrnambool police.