25 Tonnes of Sandstone Vanish from Busy Lake Macquarie Road

SPEERS POINT: Police have launched an investigation into a bizarre and “incredibly brazen” robbery after 25 tonnes of sandstone blocks were stolen from the side of one of Lake Macquarie’s busiest thoroughfares.

Twenty-three blocks, each weighing approximately 1.1 tonnes, disappeared from the parkland area near The Esplanade in Speers Point. Despite the massive scale of the operation, authorities have yet to identify any witnesses who saw or heard the blocks being moved.

Council Manager Assets, Dayne Harris, stated that the theft would have required significant planning, professional equipment, and a team of people.

“It’s an incredibly brazen robbery,” Mr. Harris said. “This is right beside The Esplanade, which is a relatively busy road right around the clock. With so many blocks, they would have either needed more than one truck or would have had to make multiple trips to steal them and unload them elsewhere.”

The blocks were originally installed to prevent illegal parking at the popular community park and soccer facility.

Twenty-three of the 1.1-tonne blocks seemingly disappeared in Speers Point without anyone seeing or hearing a thing.

The theft is more than just a mystery; it is a financial blow to local residents. Lake Macquarie City Council has been forced to install temporary water barriers to secure the site, with the cost of replacing the sandstone estimated at $10,000—a bill that will fall on local ratepayers.

NSW Police are reviewing CCTV footage from nearby intersections and are calling on anyone with dashcam footage from the area over the past week to come forward.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.