Several thefts have been reported across the Beaches this week, with thieves seeming to target not only tradie tools and wallets from parked cars (during the evenings and even during the day), but also stealing backpacks while beachgoers aren’t looking.
Stealing from cars
On Tuesday night, 25 November 2025, Makita battery-powered tools, valued at $5,000, were stolen from a Volkswagen Amarok that was parked at Woods Parade in Fairlight.
On Friday, 28 November 2025, at around 3pm, thieves stole plumbing tools, valued at $520, from a Toyota Hilux parked at Griffiths Street in Fairlight.
Between 8:30pm on Monday, 1 December 2025, and the following day, thieves stole a wallet from the glove box of a Toyota Corolla that was parked at Hillside Road in Newport. The owner’s credit card was used to make purchases at a Newport service station at about 1:20am on 2 December 2025. Police are in the process of obtaining CCTV footage of the fraudulent credit card transactions.
On the same night, between 7:00pm on Monday, 1 December 2025, and the following day, thieves stole a wallet from an unlocked Subaru Outback SUV that was parked at Hillside Road in Newport. The owner discovered his credit card was stolen and used repeatedly at a Newport service station at about 1:45am on 2 December 2025. Police are in the process of obtaining CCTV footage of the card use.
Police would like to remind the community that credit cards are sought after by thieves as they are as good as cash. They’d also like to remind people to remove valuables from their cars and to keep them locked.
Beach thefts
On Saturday, 29 November 2025, between 12pm and 2pm, a man from Fairlight had his backpack stolen from the Manly Life Saving Club at South Steyne, Manly.
The backpack was on a hook and contained items of clothing, a debit card and an iPhone. The owner used find-my-iPhone to track his phone and found it in a bin at Darley Road, Manly. He recovered all of his property except the debit card.
The card was used to make fraudulent tap-and-go purchases in stores on The Corso before it was cancelled. Police are in the process of obtaining CCTV footage of the offences.
Later on the same day, at about 9pm, a man from Coogee had his backpack stolen from outside the North Steyne Surf Life Saving Club. The bag contained shoes and an Insta360 handheld camera with a total property value of $1,500.
Police would like to remind the community to be vigilant while visiting the beaches this summer, especially as crowds provide good cover for confident thieves.
Drink driving charges after multiple parked cars hit
A man has been charged with negligent driving after drunkenly crashing into multiple vehicles in Collaroy Plateau on Sunday evening, 14 December 2025.
At around 8:45pm police were called to Idaline Street with reports of a crash. On arrival officers were told a Isuzu D-Max crashed into a parked Volkswagen on Telopea street before leaving the scene and ultimately colliding with a Holden Sedan on Hendy Avenue.
Following some bystander intervention, olice followed the vehicle during this time where it made its way around Collaroy Plateau backstreets including Anzac Avenue and Kent Street.
Police breath tested a 39 year old man following the final collision which resulted in a positive reading. A secondary test was conducted at Dee Why police station where he recorded an alleged mid-range reading of 0.083.
He was charged with two counts of negligent driving, not give particulars to owner of damaged property and drive with mid-range PCA.
The man was granted conditional bail and will appear in Manly Local Court 5 February, 2025.
Check out other crime-related news:
Man pleads guilty to assault after strange public interaction with child
Holiday rental scammer released from prison after one night in custody
