$400 reward offered for stolen goods

After some backpackers had their backpacks stolen on Australia Day, a sympathetic local has doubled their offered reward to $400 in return for information or the return of their possessions.

Eva Schiek, from Germany and Chris Walter, from the UK, returned to their 1995 Commodore, parked on the Victoria Street backpacker strip in Potts Point, to find a doorlock picked and two rucksacks gone. In them was a portable hard drive with all the photos from their three months’ travel on Australia’s east coast, among other less precious items such as an i-Pod and clothing.

Local identity Andrew Woodhouse saw their plaintive ‘Help’ notice taped to a plane tree and sprang into action, contacting the victims and doubling their offered reward to $400.

Police had told the victims there was little they could do.

‘Australians invented the world-wide backpacker phenomenon. How disappointing to find we treat our overseas backpackers shamefully when their items are stolen, and we refuse to help,’ said Mr Woodhouse.

‘And all this on Australia Day. How un-Australian.’

The backpakers’ poster pleaded: ‘Our memories mean everything to us, nothing to you.’

Such crimes are common in Sydney, which is why Council nails signs (such as the one pictured) to street poles in hotspots. Residents learn very quickly not to leave any items in sight in a parked car, some even leaving their glovebox and ashtrays empty and open to deter thieves.

The worst places in Sydney for car break-ins, according to Police data, are the southern end of Glebe, Pyrmont, parts of Woolloomooloo and Sydney City.

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