A man accused of driving a stolen panel van through a Wellington business, causing an estimated $30,000 damage to the building and taking off with $20,000 worth of equipment has been denied bail in court.
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Police arrested a 21-year-old man on Tuesday and charged him with breaking into Wellington Mowers and Chainsaws in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The Wellington resident was allegedly accompanied by at least one other unknown person when he drove the stolen vehicle through the front of the store.
When the offenders got into the business they allegedly stole 10 chainsaws and a generator.
Orana Mid-Western Police District Inspector Dan Skelly said the vehicle, which was reportedly stolen before the break in, was found burned-out in a paddock near the Lee Street address the business operates from.
"This was a major investigation from the beginning, a lot of police were deployed to Wellington and they did an absolutely excellent job," he said.
"They were knocking on doors, they were doing search warrants, they were rattling the right people down there and as a result of that we were able to arrest a fellow."
Inspector Skelly said he estimated the combined value of the stolen equipment and damage done to the building was about $50,000.
He said police believed more than one person was definitely involved in the attack on the business because a witness said the break in and theft was carried out quickly.
This also suggested the attack was planned, Inspector Skelly said.
Shortly after the man was arrested police found five of the stolen chainsaws and a generator in a shed on an Arthurville Road property at Ponto near Geurie.
In addition to the break, enter and steal charge, the man was also charged with disposing of stolen property, stealing a motor vehicle, damaging property and breaching curfew bail.
In Wellington Local Court on Wednesday the man applied for bail.
Magistrate Claire Girotto rejected that application and refused bail.
The man will remain behind bars until his next court appearance on September 17.
