<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Business owners in Melbourne's south-east have been left devastated after thieves used a stolen cement truck for a heist.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Despite leaving behind a trail of destruction, the crooks came out empty-handed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It didn't take much for the stolen cement mixer truck to smash through the glass doors of a Hallam business.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-news-house-fire-cambridge-gardens/156af482-6c6a-42a3-bd96-43eb970d1429"><strong><span>'Get out buddy': Man and five dogs lucky to be alive after house fire</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>With the mixer still running the thief made a less than graceful exit from the vehicle and ransacked the tyre shop armed with a metal pole.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dinuka Tissera from DHF Tyres said he's "devastated".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As a small business it's tough as it is and to go through this rubbish," he said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/melbourne-cement-mixer-heist/789f8a40-2fcb-476a-afb5-c24d72674a58" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tissera has owned the store for 10 years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He's in disbelief, comparing it to the video game </span><em><span>Grand Theft Auto</span></em><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The truck was stolen from a nearby supply store about midnight today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The thieves used a front-end loader to ram the office then steal the keys before hitting three other businesses, including a mechanic, a service station and the tyre shop.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The penalties are not harsh enough. Running rampant. It's ridiculous to be honest," Tissera said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's actually just a joke to them. They know they'll just get a slap on the wrist and they'll do it again next week."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The machinery was spotted just after 1am in a residential street.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The crooks jumped from the vehicle but it didn't stop and rolled into a parked car.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One witness said it almost hit a house.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Despite the effort the thieves made to break into the various businesses, they left empty-handed, while the owners were left with hefty damage bills and a mess to clean up.</span></div></div>