It’s only been four months since Brett Gilbert reopened the newly renovated Undera Hotel but already an incident which resulted in a stolen courtesy bus has left a “bad taste” in his mouth.
Between the late hours of Friday, April 5 and early on Saturday morning, the hotel’s courtesy bus, alcohol from their delivery van and a set of golf clubs and power tools from a customer's car were stolen from the hotel’s car park.
Mr Gilbert said the situation had left a “bad taste” in their mouths.
“I'm feeling down,” Mr Gilbert said.
“We provide a service for the community with the courtesy bus then we don't have one.
“It’s just a bad feeling to know there are people out there that would steal a courtesy bus.”
The van was located in Mooroopna at the weekend.
However, Mr Gilbert said the retrieval of the bus turned out to be an expensive problem.
“The thieves had thrown away the keys, so I had to locate a locksmith to get the car back safely to the hotel,” he said.
“And that’s expensive.”
Though the hotel has two courtesy buses, Mr Gilbert said this bus came with the hotel when he first took over in December last year, which is why it was important they got it back.
“We kept it for tradition but it costs more to get the keys replaced than what the van costs, which is hard,” Mr Gilbert said.
“The feeling that someone has invaded our privacy and came into our area and has taken something that's ours, and what frustrates us is we provide that service any night of the week.
"If you ask us to take you home, we take you home, and they stole it and dumped it — it’s downright theft.”
No arrests have been made, and Mooroopna police are investigating the incident.
The courtesy bus, a white Toyota HiAce van, prior to the incident was last seen parked outside the Undera Hotel on Anderson St at 11.45pm on Friday, April 5.
Police are encouraging anyone who witnessed the incident or has any dashcam/CCTV footage to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or file a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au