But it still caught Mr Worland by surprise when he left the house to go to work yesterday morning and found three young people pushing their car down the street.

"They were probably 40 metres away, but they couldn't get the car started. I started running after them, yelling out, but they just took off," he said.

Luckily, the couple had an immobiliser installed and bought a steering wheel lock that prevented the would-be thieves from starting the car, but that's little comfort for the family who have been robbed three times in two weeks.

On Australia Day thieves broke into their house while the family slept, and on Saturday they had a push bike stolen.

"A lot of it is insured, but they also stole my video camera. It had a lot of footage of my kids when they were younger, and so I've lost all my memories of them," Ms Tatton said.

"They didn't steal any of the cords or battery charger, so it's completely worthless to them. I want to offer a reward to anyone who can get it back to me.

"We had someone come into our house while we were sleeping. I feel invaded to know that someone was going through our personal things."

Ms Tatton said she was upset that her car keys were stolen the night before her son's first day of school.

"I had to borrow a car and pick him up in a taxi. I'll never forget his first day of school, but for the wrong reasons."

Mount Isa Police crime prevention coordinator Sergeant Glen Arrold said police are investigating the break and enter of 12 vehicles over the weekend.

Police are looking for unknown offenders who have smashed vehicle windows to gain entry and stolen wallets, cash, iPods and mobile phones.

Sgt Arrold said that the vehicles that were targeted were parked on the street.

"People can assist police by ensuring vehicles are locked and parked in house yards and not on the street. It appears that the offenders are taking opportunity of vehicles parked out side of yards only," Sgt Arrold said.