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Titan Racing Suffer Horror $200k Robbery |
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Friday, 09 February 2007 |
Titan Garages and Sheds Racing yesterday suffered a crippling robbery on the team's Sprintcar transporter in Melbourne, ahead of the Australian Sprintcar Title.
Titan Racing is offering a substantial reward for information that leads to the recovery of the stolen equipment.
The transporter was broken into during the night, and the thieves stole two Sprintcar race engines, and the team's entire inventory of spare parts and tools.
Team manager Drew Kruck said that he and his father - legendary Sprintcar team owner Reeve Kruck, suspect that people close to the team conducted the robbery.
“We're leaning heavily towards an inside job,” Drew Kruck said. “The thieves knew exactly what they wanted, and how to get it.
“I can reveal that we have two suspects, but we are still appealing for help.”
The transporter was sitting dockside in Melbourne, waiting to be
shipped to the Australian Sprintcar Title in Tasmania, which begins
next Friday.
“The tool cabinets were locked into position, and are extremely
difficult to remove… you have to know exactly what to do to move them,
and these guys managed it,” Mr Kruck said.
“These tool cabinets and engines are also very heavy, and had to be
lifted over a bench, so we think that this had to be done by at least
three or four people with some form of transport.
“The thieves also completely ignored other parts of the transporter,
which leads us to believe that they knew exactly what they wanted, and
that this was more than just a smash and grab.
“All of the parts have Titan markings on them, so we are hoping that
somebody can come forward if they see any of our tools, and help us
pass on any information they have to the police.
“The gear that was stolen is really only useful to people in Sprintcars or Drag Racing.”
Brisbane media personality Drew Kruck is steadily recovering from
injuries he suffered in an incident while racing at Heartland Raceway
in Moama during December, but this latest blow has left the team
reeling.
“The team has had it hard enough, but if we can't recover our
equipment, we'll have to start all over again, and that would be an
extremely costly exercise.
“We've been building-up this equipment for 10 years, but this could be
the end of Titan Racing in Australia, which given the team's history
would be a disaster.
“People involved within the sport know just how expensive this equipment can be, and how much of a hit this has been.”
The equipment that was stolen was: one 410ci engine, one 372ci engine,
two race cabinets with all of the team's tools and spare racing parts,
including: brake lines brake discs, air tools, radiator fittings, and
even all of the nuts and bolts.
The equipment that the team has lost is worth in excess of $200,000.
Drew Kruck would like to thank all of the support he has received from
friends on what was a very distressing day, and apologise to the team's
replacement driver, Steven Bell, and the paying Tasmanian public who
will miss out due to the actions of others.
Drew and Reeve Kruck hope that somebody can come forward and help the team recover the stolen equipment.
Anybody with information should contact Titan Garages and Sheds on 07 3803 6077 and ask for Reeve Kruck.
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