Melton police have laid more than 100 charges over the course of four nights, with car thieves, hoons, and those carrying drugs and weapons in their sights.
Among the dozens arrested was a duo inside an allegedly stolen Nissan Patrol, which was carrying stolen copper and tools. The driver allegedly set fire to the car before taking off on foot in a large farm property, where he was found by police.
Operation Momentum - which is regularly run in Brimbank and Melton - sees dozens of police saturate these communities while the Air Wing monitors from the sky.
A key focus of the operation is around identifying stolen vehicles and dangerous driving in the western suburbs.
Brimbank ranks as the seventh highest area for car thefts in metropolitan Melbourne, with Melton twelfth highest. Due to this, police are continuing to run targeted operations in the area that put thieves on notice.
Between 11 and 14 February, Operation Momentum led to the arrest of 19 people for over 100 offences and the recovery of four stolen cars.
More than 860 cars were checked by police throughout the operation and over 230 people were spoken to across the four nights.
In addition to enforcement, there is also a large amount of information gleaned from these operations that assist in building intelligence around networked offending and those conducting criminal activity overnight, particularly in stolen cars.
Those arrested during the operation include:
- Two people who were arrested after an extended follow through Melbourne's western suburbs, including paddocks and farms, on Saturday, 14 February. Officers first spotted a Nissan Patrol bearing false plates at Oldershaw Road, Melton about 10.45pm. Police attempted to intercept the vehicle before they successfully deployed stop sticks, impacting the rear passenger tyre of the Nissan. The Nissan allegedly evaded officers, last seen continuing through residential areas of Melton. The vehicle was located a short time later driving erratically through paddocked areas between Coburns and Bulmans roads in Harkness. It is alleged the duo began dumping copper and tools out of the vehicle into the paddocks. The female passenger exited the Nissan and was arrested a short time later/nearby. The Patrol became stuck and immobilised on Coburns Road, where it is alleged, the male driver set fire to the front seats of the vehicle before fleeing into farmland on foot. Officers moved in and he was swiftly arrested without incident. A 30-year-old man from Melton was charged with 22 offences including dangerous driving whilst pursued by Police and driving a stolen motor vehicle. He has been remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court at a later date. A 19-year-old woman from Melton was charged with Theft of motor vehicle and handle stolen goods. She was bailed to Sunshine Magistrate's Court on 22 May.
- Police attempted to intercept an alleged stolen Toyota Corolla when it evaded police on the Western Freeway at about 1.15am on Sunday 15 February. The car was followed by the Air Wing to Ballarat Road, when stop sticks were deployed and the car came to a stop. The female driver, a 36-year-old from Bundoora, was arrested and charged with theft of motor vehicle and evade police.
- A 29-year-old Melton South man was arrested after police attempted to intercept a motorcycle displaying stolen registration plates in Melton at about 1.55am on Friday 13 February. The motorcycle allegedly evaded police, and was observed by the Air Wing travelling at excessive speeds up to 200km/h on the Western Freeway. The motorcycle came to a stop on Old Geelong Road in Hoppers Crossing where units moved in and arrested the rider. He was subsequently charged with theft of motor vehicle, evade police, excessive speeding and dangerous driving.
Operation Momentum will continue to be rolled out in the area on a regular basis.
Anyone with information about offending in the area is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Quotes attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Nick Di-Mieri:
"Our aim is to continue to make our area a hostile environment for thieves - we want them to know they are not welcome, and they will be caught.
"The success of Operation Momentum is not just in the number of people we are arresting; it's also in the crimes we have prevented through our overwhelming presence.
"As the operation ran overnight, the community may not have seen us - but they can be assured we were out in large numbers saturating the area.
