Former AFL star Jimmy Bartel's Mercedes SUV was stripped of its four wheels in Melbourne, revealing a concerning trend of vehicle part thefts in the city. Bartel shared the story on his radio show, highlighting the organized nature of the thefts and questioning who is behind them.
Former Geelong AFL premiership player Jimmy Bartel was shocked to discover all four wheels had been stolen from his Mercedes SUV. Bartel, a three-time premiership player and 2007 Brownlow medal winner, shared the experience on his first day as host of 3AW's Wide World of Sports program. He recounted receiving a call from police a week prior informing him about the theft. 'The police are calling me, and they're like, 'are you the owner of this car?… you won't be driving it too far.
There is not a wheel left on your car',' Bartel said, adding that he had to catch the tram to work that day. Bartel said he felt more disappointed than upset about the incident, noting that it seemed organized given the various parts stolen from vehicles in the area. He questioned who was orchestrating these thefts, as it appeared to be more than just opportunistic acts. This incident occurred in the City of Port Phillip, in Melbourne's inner south, where thieves have also targeted other vehicles, stealing parts like entire car doors. Bartel mentioned that thieves in the neighborhood seemed to be engaged in a sort of 'build your own car' scheme, as they had taken parts from different vehicles. A few weeks prior, 3AW Mornings host Tom Elliott spoke to a Port Melbourne resident named Mia, who revealed that thieves had stolen the entire driver's side front door of her Mercedes GLC 250, a model similar to Bartel's. Mia shared the story of her daughter discovering the missing door and her initial disbelief. Mia said, 'She's called up and said, ‘hey Mum, the car door is missing’. I said, ‘I beg your pardon. What do you mean… Someone's broken in?'Elliott also interviewed car expert Paul Maric, who highlighted a growing problem with late-model Holden HSVs being stolen for parts. He suggested that a similar issue might be affecting Mercedes Benz vehicles. Maric explained that thieves are using tools like repeaters to unlock vehicles remotely and that a full car door with electronics can be worth up to $10,000. According to Maric, Holden HSVs are being stolen at a rate of five to ten per day, stripped down, and their parts sold through unofficial channels. He also mentioned that some of these stolen cars are being rebirthed, meaning parts are swapped between different vehicles. Maric was surprised that thieves didn't just steal the entire cars instead of removing parts in public, but noted that the ongoing issue requires further investigation
Jimmy Bartel Melbourne Stolen Wheels Car Theft Parts Theft Organized Crime
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