Ute stolen as driver pays for petrol in Melbourne’s southeast

A ute carrying $20,000 worth of paint has been stolen as the driver paid for petrol at a 7-Eleven in Melbourne’s southeast.

Darren told Tom Elliott he’d foolishly left the ute running as he went inside to pay.

“I’ve been a bit of a doofus, I left the car running at the 7-Eleven in St Kilda on the corner of Alma Rd and Nepean Highway and I’ve come out and it’s been stolen,” Darren said.

Click PLAY to hear Darren’s account of the incident

The ute is a white Ford Falcon BF utility with an aluminum tray, registration XSW 532.

To add to Darren’s woes, there was a large paint palette in the tray.

“It’s got about $20,000 worth of paint in the back I was going to deliver to a client,” Darren said.

Darren saw the thief driving off, south down the Nepean Highway.