An alleged car thief who pinched a man's vehicle while he was ordering a burger has been nabbed by police in South Melbourne overnight.
The victim had unfortunately left their keys inside their Lexus SUV when they ducked into a fast-food store on Latrobe Street to grab a bite to eat about 1am.
His tastebuds may have been satisfied but the rest of him way anything but when he returned to find his car had been stolen by an opportunistic offender.
Police were able to track the vehicle which had been driven out into the eastern suburbs before returning to the city.
The Air Wing followed the Lexus from overhead and units on the ground converged as it parked out the front of a convenience store near the intersection of Clarendon and Bank streets in South Melbourne about 2am.
A man was seen exiting the vehicle, which police swiftly blocked in.
The man allegedly attempted to run back to the car and aggressively resisted arrest.
Officers deployed a taser to bring the man under control and he was subsequently arrested.
He was taken to a police station to be interviewed.
Anyone who witnessed the incident, with CCTV/dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
This arrest forms part of Operation Trinity; Victoria Police's dedicated operation targeting burglars and car thieves from dusk to dawn across Melbourne.
On top of standard patrols, there are large numbers of additional police including members of the Dog Squad, Public Order Response and Air Wing, specifically tasked with preventing and responding to burglaries and car thefts each night.
As a result of this intense focus, police arrested 681 burglars and car thieves over 1,700 times in the year to the end of April 2025.
That equates to more than four burglars and car thieves arrested every single day.
Operation Trinity is Victoria Police's most well-resourced operation, with over 140,000 policing hours dedicated solely to this operation in 2024.
On top of this, the Air Wing spent well over a thousand hours in the sky last year tracking burglars and car thieves as part of Trinity.
Latest police intelligence indicates that as more than 80% of all aggravated burglaries in key hotspots are through unlocked doors/windows or unsuccessful attempts when the offender has discovered the property is locked.
As such, police implore the community to take simple steps such as locking all doors and windows on your home and car.
The data is undeniable - if you lock your doors, your chances of falling victim dramatically decrease.
