A Mandurah business owner has been left nonplussed by the continuous theft of his roadside advertisements.
Richard Toye, owner of Cabinetz cabinet maker services, said he has had several signs stolen over the last few months, with friends reportedly spotting the signs – complete with re-written contact details – at other places around Mandurah.
“I’d say about the middle of February it started, I had one on Mandurah Terrace,” Mr Toye said.
“I’d always kept an eye on them, because I’d heard the Rangers we’re picking them up, which is fair enough if they’re too close to the road.”
The first stolen sign, it turns out, was not just spotted by Mr Toye: multiple people informed him of its location after seeing it on Channel 9 News.
“I actually spotted it when Channel 9 we’re reporting on a fire on Tindale Street,” he said.
“So I got a lot of responses from friends and people who had just heard about it. I noticed it was gone straight away.”
The next one of Mr Toye’s signs was stolen from Mandurah Road, right next to the freeway entry roundabout.
“Then, after that, I was showing daughters friend where my factory unit in Tindale St having just picked up my daughter & friend from the Mandurah crab fest ” he said.
“And someone just pointed out, ‘Oh, there’s your sign as we turned into my factory unit”, and it just clicked on the Monday when I noticed it was gone, remembering it was there Sunday around 4pm when we drove past.”
Trying to get to the bottom of the mysterious thefts, Mr Toye asked to see the CCTV footage from his friends’ neighbouring business.
That footage can be seen below.
As for the motive behind the alleged crime, Mr Toye doesn’t exactly know the answer.
“Some people have said the signs have turned up with different numbers on them, so whether it’s because of competition, or they’re just trying to lessen my business, I don’t know.
“These signs are the cheapest way for me to advertise, so it’s not a huge worry, but I don’t have a lot of ways to get my name out there.”
Anyone with information on the alleged thefts is asked to contact Mr Toye on 0431 585 642.
Mr Toye’s business also has a Facebook page.
