'Amateur' thieves filmed stripping government car sitting in Melbourne street
"Amateur" thieves spent almost two hours stripping a government car in a residential Melbourne street overnight.
The inexperienced pair did not realise they pulled up in front of security cameras that were recording their every move
The crime was carried out on a quiet street in Carrum Downs at 3am Sunday.
The video captured a car slowing down and turning off its lights as it droves past a late-model Holden Calais.
Two men got out. One acted as a lookout as the other got to work only pausing to hide when cars drove past.
Neighbour Quinton Garlick told 7 News "it was surprising how quiet they were".
Using a jack, the thief slid off the wheels one by one, leaving the car to hit the ground
For an hour and a half they systematically worked their way around the car not realising their every move was being monitored.
"The neighbour had his motorbike nearly pinched over the school holidays," Mr Garlick said.
"So I thought id put some cameras up and three weeks later this happens."
The top-of-the-range Commodore is driven by Mr Garlick's neighbour – a government car used to drive around politicians.
On Sunday morning police dusted for fingerprints they believe the neighbour's footage will help to identify the pair.
"They've got no idea… I think amateurs," the neighbour said.