A young tradesman is devastated after thieves stole his $60,000 van and a simple mistake left him without insurance.
Billy, 24, a plumber from the Sunshine Coast, was robbed of his Isuzu D-Max pick-up on July 12 when thieves broke into his home.
They entered through the garage, stole the car keys and drove away with the vehicle.
The ute was found weeks later dumped in Deception Bay, about 70km south of the Sunshine Coast. The vehicle had been set on fire and parts of the front had been torn apart.
It was a huge setback when Billy’s insurance claim was rejected because he was unaware that his policy expired on May 31.
He now has no car and has lost more than $30,000 worth of tools.
Cassie Griffiths, who runs Pipewise Plumbing on the Sunshine Coast where Billy works, has a GoFundMe Page to raise money for a new van.
“Billy is more than just an employee at Pipewise Plumbing,” Ms. Griffiths wrote.
Billy, 24, a plumber from the Sunshine Coast, was robbed of his Isuzu D-Max pick-up on July 12 when thieves broke into his home.
The pickup was discovered weeks later, dumped in Deception Bay, about 70km south of the Sunshine Coast
Thieves entered the house through the garage, stole the car keys and drove away with the vehicle
“He is hardworking, selfless and always willing to lend a helping hand. Seeing him devastated by this senseless act breaks our hearts.”
Recent statistics highlight Queensland’s worrying position as Australia’s crime capital.
According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than 289,000 Queensland residents were victims of crime in 2023.
More beatings, sexual assaults, kidnappings, robberies and blackmail occurred in the state.