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Meat thief hits sports club in Hervey Bay four times stashing haul in wheelie bin

Up to $8000 worth of meat, including dry-aged rump and T-bone steak, was stolen.

Meat thief hits sports club in Hervey Bay four times stashing haul in wheelie bin

Up to $8000 worth of meat, including dry-aged rump and T-bone steak, was stolen.

Up to $8000 worth of meat has been stolen from a Queensland business after four break-ins over the past month, with fears stolen steak is making its way onto dinner plates.

Hervey Bay Sports Club believes the expensive beef is being sold by a cunning customer who has spent time eyeing the business at Torquay.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Sports club hit four times by meat thief.

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Security vision shows sparks flying during the most recent break-in, as a hooded intruder cut his way into an outdoor cold room using an angle grinder about 4.15am on Saturday.

The man then appeared to drag a wheelie bin into the fridge before rolling it away minutes later.

The same walk-in cooler first became the target of theft on June 8, when bolt cutters were used about 4.15am.

After four minutes inside the fridge, the man can be seen zipping up his backpack and sprinting into the night.

The stolen items are estimated to be worth between $6000 and $8000, and include dry-aged rump, eye fillet, T-bone, ribs, sausages and pizza bases.

“We believe he’s selling it. The quantity he’s taken, it’s very hard for one person or a group of people to eat the quantity,” club secretary and treasurer Les Marsh told 7NEWS.

The same walk-in cooler was targeted in four separate break-ins over the past month. Credit: 7NEWS
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Security cameras caught a hooded man breaking into the cold room with an angle grinder in the early hours. The alleged thief used a wheelie bin to transport the stolen meat. Credit: 7NEWS

The business has since moved its meat to other fridges and hired guards to patrol the property during the early hours of the morning.

But extra security hasn’t deterred the meat lover, who Marsh believes is behind all four break-ins.

“I think it’s pathetic that you would come and take from a club that’s giving back to the community,” he said.

“We have to create $60,000 or $80,000 worth of sales to cover that loss.”

Police collected what could be a crucial clue on Tuesday, finding hair entangled in a fence.

The thief remains on the run.

Club treasurer Les Marsh points to hair found tangled in a fence, a potential clue police are now examining. Credit: 7NEWS

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