Not long after Adrian Abela set up shop in the Ballan Industrial Estate four years ago, his warehouse was broken into.
Since then he’s installed security cameras around the perimeter of his Body Clinic Smash Repairs and managed to avoid any further damage, but his neighbours haven’t been so lucky.
“Another mechanic three doors up the road has been broken into four or five times,” Mr Abela said.
“The gentleman across the road has probably been broken into four or five times just this year.”
Mr Abela blames the “pitch black” estate, where there aren’t any street lights, for the spate of break-ins and criminal activity.
Fed up with the constant break-ins and theft, business owners wrote to Moorabool council in September requesting street lighting along Smallmans Road and Haddon Drive.
At last week’s council meeting, officers recommended that the council refer the project to the ‘capital program’ for future funding, and ask property owners if they’d be happy to pay for the street lighting via a special charge scheme.
But councillors unanimously voted in favour of an alternative motion, which suggested writing to all property owners within the estate advising council supported their request for street lighting and to fund it through the Central ward community development fund.
When contacted by Star Weekly, Mr Abela said that was the “best news he heard all day”.
He said the estate was so dark after sunset it was like walking around with your eyes closed.
Mr Abela was one of seven businesses to sign the original petition, which implored council to consider funding street lights in the estate.
A letter, attached to the petition, stated multiple owners had their businesses “continually” broken into with items of significant value stolen.
“Terry Hodge, of Hodge Earthmoving at 18 Smallmans Road, has been broken into twice in the past two weeks, with perpetrators doing extensive damage by cutting the security fencing in sections to gain access to the property and removing multiple items ranging from $5000 to $100,” the letter states.
“John, from Inair Custom Trailers of 36 Haddon Drive, reported in the past two days he has had his security fence cut, and approximately three months ago he was broken into, with welders, tools and other workshop items valued at between $70,000 and $80,000 stolen.”
