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'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.

The thieves stopped and cut their lights when they spotted the car. Source: 7 News
The thieves stopped and cut their lights when they spotted the car. Source: 7 News
They hopped out in the dead of night. Source: 7 News
They hopped out in the dead of night. Source: 7 News

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

The thieves tripped the wheels from the government car. Source: 7 News
The thieves tripped the wheels from the government car. Source: 7 News
Cameras captued the whole act. Source: 7 News
Cameras captued the whole act. Source: 7 News

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 crooks left their jack. Source: 7 News
The crooks left their jack. Source: 7 News
But they took all the wheels. Source: 7 News
But they took all the wheels. Source: 7 News

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.