Three Ballarat men charged over an alleged $285,000 cash theft at ATMs have faced court for a committal mention.
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Almost $40,000 worth of damage is reported to have occurred at the businesses allegedly targeted.
The cases of Grant James Nalder, 34, Martin Locandro, 41, and Robert Stanley Fitzpatrick, 38, were adjourned at the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Police allege the ATMs were targeted over four months from November to March with heavy equipment vehicles used to crash through street shop fronts or equipment used to force entry to premises.
The alleged offending occurred at Clunes, Lake Bolac, Beaufort, Creswick, Skipton, Dunkeld, Ballan and Queenscliff.
A contested committal hearing will be held in August for Fitzpatrick, of Haddon, to see if there is sufficient evidence for most of the charges to go to trial.
Nalder, of Wendouree, and Locandro, of Brown Hill, will face a further committal mention in July.
The trio are charged with a string of offences, including burglary, theft, criminal damage, attempted theft and attempted burglary.