THREE men arrested in Hastings last week are allegedly linked to a series of crimes in Hastings and Tyabb over the past month.
The men, in the mid-20s, are accused of causing affray at the Kings Creek Hotel in Frankston-Flinders Road; stealing a delivery rider’s moped when he dropped off a pizza at a Hastings house; taking tools and supplies from a Tyabb plumbing outlet and stealing items and causing damage at Hastings Junior Football Club.
Detective Tony Henry, of Somerville CIU, said CCTV footage showed one of the alleged robbers wearing a Power Rangers outfit when $20,000 in tools and supplies were stolen from JKJ Plumbing in Tyabb, Tuesday 16 August.
He said the costume, as well as the pizza delivery rider’s bike, a range of plumbing tools and screw drivers and jemmy bars, and football equipment, were found at a Hastings house where the men were arrested last week. Other items are still missing.
Hastings Junior Football Club secretary Carol Buckley said a first-aid kit, footballs and a ball pump had been taken, and that intruders had caused extensive damage when trying to rip out the club’s air-conditioner and an outside awning, Wednesday 28 July.
Three men have been charged with multiple counts of burglary, handling stolen property and breaching bail conditions and remanded to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court at a late date.
Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers 1800 33 000.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 24 August 2021