Businesses hit by theft

By Melissa Donchi
THIEVES ransacked the Warburton Businesses Incubator earlier this month leaving local businesses without vital IT equipment.
Several offices were broken into early Thursday morning, 1 March with several thousand dollars worth of flat screen computers, hard drives and laptops being part of the loot.
Yarra Ranges Enterprise Centres manager Frances McBride said it would have a devastating effect on the businesses.
“Its caused an enormous disruption to these businesses which can’t function without a computer screen or information on their hard drives,” Ms McBride said. “This is the worst thing that could happen to small businesses starting out.”
McEwan MP and Minister for Small Business and Tourism Fran Bailey said she was appalled at the callous actions of the thieves.
“That anyone would steal from these hard-working people, is just beyond comprehension,” Ms Bailey said.
“This incubator has been a great opportunity for home-based businesses to step out of the home and for other small businesses to develop and expand.”
Forensic experts attended the scene but police have few leads and are calling on anyone who saw anything suspicious to contact Warburton Police.