THREE youths and an 18-year-old man have been arrested by the Southern Metro Region Crime Team and are now facing a collective 60 charges following a string of burglaries and car thefts across Melbourne’s southeast and the Mornington Peninsula.
As part of Operation Alliance, Southern Metro Crime Team detectives made the arrests on Wednesday 25 January.
At about 11.15am, police observed two allegedly stolen vehicles entering James Wyman Place, Hampton Park. Police observed three youths and a man enter a residential property where detectives enacted the arrests a short time later.
Detectives will allege the four were involved in 11 incidents between 20 to 25 January including aggravated burglary, theft of motor vehicle, burglary and attempted aggravated burglary.
The incidents occurred in suburbs including Deanside, Burnley, Epping, Warranwood, Sandhurst, Mount Martha, Wollert, Templestowe, and Cranbourne.
In all incidents, the alleged offenders gained access to vehicles or properties through an unlocked means. Seven vehicles were stolen with six recovered by police.
The 18-year-old man was arrested and charged with aggravated burglary, theft of motor vehicle, theft, attempted aggravated burglary, and attempted theft of motor vehicle.
He has been remanded to appear before the Ringwood Magistrates Court on 31 January.
Of the three youths arrested, two were remanded to appear before a children’s court at a later date including:
A 17-year-old boy charged with aggravated home invasion, aggravated burglary, theft of motor vehicle, theft, and commit an indictable offence while on bail.
A 16-year-old boy charged with aggravated home invasion, aggravated burglary, theft of motor vehicle, theft, and commit an indictable offence while on bail.
A 17-year-old boy was also arrested and charged with aggravated burglary, theft of motor vehicle and commit an indicatable offence while on bail.
He has been bailed by the court to appear before a children’s court at a later date.
First published in the Mornington News – 31 January 2023
