Be Weary of Cheap Panels After Thieves Steal Panels and Inverters

Archived News, Posted on 19 Jul 2011

HUNDREDS of solar panels have been stolen during a well planned raid at a Gold Coast business.

Thieves got away with up to 300 panels and inverters stored in a Coomera property before sunrise today.

The retail value of the panels and inverters could be as much as $544,000.

The theft was highly organised, according to police.

The culprits had earlier descended on a nearby Ashmore business and stolen a truck they used to load the solar equipment.

Detectives are yet to catch them nor locate the truck, and are now warning the public to be wary of people selling discounted panels.

They have also warned solar customers to check the credentials of solar panel salespeople.

The stolen truck is a 2006 Isuzu FR500 Torqueliner with registration 534 IIZ.

It has a white cabin and blue-black cover.

While police are yet to confirm the type of panels and inverters stolen, industry sources are gobsmacked at the scale of the theft.

"That's massive," said a solar business owner who wished to remain anonymous.

"They'd need a forklift and it would take you an hour.

"Those things are heavy. Depending on the quality of the panels and inverters, it could be as much as $800 a panel and $8000 an inverter.

"That's if they were the German ones and not the ones from China."


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