A stolen tractor, valued at $200,000, was used in a ramraid before being set alight on the Princes Fwy on Thursday morning.
Police said a red Massey Ferguson 966 tractor was stolen from REN Machinery in Endeavour St at about 3.45am.
The tractor was allegedly used to ram the front doors of a United Service Station in Drouin at 4.30am, before being located on fire about two kilometres from the Nilma exit in Warragul at about 6am.
Police said a man, possibly in his 30s, was captured on CCTV entering REM Machinery via a back fence.
They said the man got into the tractor, with registration "XW1 2OP", then exited to attach a silage tedder. The tractor was driven through an external access fence and towards the freeway.
Some 45 minutes later, the double automatic front doors of the Princes Way service station were rammed.
Police said CCTV captured one man entering the store for two seconds before exiting and driving away in the tractor.
In both pieces of security footage, the man was described as Caucasian and with a thin build.
The footage from REN Machinery showed a man wearing a small backpack, headtorch and cap. The service station footage depicted a man of about 180cm tall, wearing all dark colours, a balaclava and gloves.
Police allege the tractor was set alight whilst in the freeway emergency lane.
The tractor, valued at $200,000, was completely destroyed.