A major operation in the Hume area has led to 43 people being arrested and 12 stolen cars being recovered over four nights.
The highly dynamic operation saw police forced to ram a car after it was allegedly driven extremely dangerously through the northern suburbs, with police uncovering a firearm and stolen property inside the car after the driver was arrested.
Police Air Wing vision also highlights three other incidents which resulted in successful arrests of people allegedly driving stolen cars in a dangerous manner, including a Jeep Cherokee, a BMW and a Ford Maverick.
Operation Nighthawk saw local uniform police, detectives and Highway Patrol officers from the Hume area team up with the Dog Squad and Air Wing to saturate the northern suburbs in the first week of September.
The operation was focused on detecting stolen vehicles in the Broadmeadows and Craigieburn areas, recovering those vehicles and holding offenders to account.
It was also designed to send a strong message to anyone thinking of stealing cars or driving dangerously in the area that police can be out at anytime and anywhere to catch up with you.
With support from the Air Wing, police were able to successfully intercept and recover 12 stolen cars, all believed to be high end vehicles stolen from aggravated burglaries across Melbourne.
43 people were arrested and were charged with a total of 75 offences.
Police also located four key reprogramming devices throughout the operation, believed to be a tool used by several of the alleged offenders to steal cars
Those arrested include:
- 33-year-old Roxburgh Park man after police were forced to ram the car from behind and deploy OC spray when removing him from the car, where they also located a large quantity of stolen items and a firearm. The man was allegedly driving a grey Ford Ranger in Roxburgh Park when it failed to stop for police at about 11pm on 1 September. The car was subsequently tracked through Airport West and Tullamarine, where stop sticks were deployed and the vehicle's tyres began degrading. The car continued driving to Attwood where it allegedly drove on the wrong side of the road at a slow pace. Police pursued the vehicle to a property in Duneed Court, Greenvale where it allegedly reversed into an unoccupied parked vehicle before it was boxed in by officers. The driver was taken to hospital under police guard as a precaution. He was charged with recklessly exposing a police officer to risk by driving, dangerous driving while being pursued by police and prohibited person possess a firearm. The man was remanded to appear in court at a later date.
- Two men and a woman after they were observed driving an alleged stolen Jeep Cherokee with false registration plates, and failed to stop for police in Broadmeadows at about 11.15pm on 2 September. After attempting to intercept the car, it's alleged it collided with a police vehicle before driving off. The car allegedly continue to travel on the Western Ring Road at speeds up to 200km/h. It eventually came to a stop in Sunshine West and occupants were observed by the Air Wing allegedly attempting to remove registration plates. After a brief search involving the Dog Squad, all alleged offenders were arrested nearby, including a 31-year-old Mickleham man, a 30-year-old Meadow Heights man and a 31-year-old Sunshine West woman. They were charged with a range of offences including recklessly exposing a police officer to risk by driving, damage emergency service vehicle by reckless driving, theft of motor vehicle, possess prohibited weapon, possess drug of dependence and hinder police.
- A 32-year-old Coolaroo man was observed by units on the ground allegedly driving a stolen Ford Maverick at high speed at 4.15am on 3 September. The Maverick was observed by Air Wing travelling through Broadmeadows Valley Park erratically, at times getting airborne and mounting the walking track. Units on the ground were able to deploy stop sticks, and negotiated with the driver to surrender from the car when he was placed under arrested. The vehicle was confirmed to be stolen. The man was charged with a range of offences including theft of motor vehicle and dangerous driving.
- A 21-year-old from the Dandenong area who was allegedly driving a stolen BMW that lost its tyre as a result of the degradation caused by stop sticks. The car was originally spotted in Broadmeadows at about 3.45am on 4 September, when it accelerated away from police and failed to stop. It was tracked by the Air Wing to Keilor East where police deployed stop sticks multiple times, causing the car to eventually come to a stop. The man was eventually charged with dangerous driving while pursued by police, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, theft of motor vehicle, handle stolen goods, commit indictable offence whilst on bail, fail to stop vehicle on police direction.
Operation Nighthawk ran last month, from 31 August to 3 September, and will continue to run sporadically in the area.
Quotes attributable to Hume Local Area Commander, Inspector Olivia Freeman:
"This was a huge success for police and the entire Hume community, with more than 40 people arrested for serious offences and 12 stolen cars retrieved.
"These arrests also highlight how dynamic these situations can be for police and show the lengths offenders are willing to go to avoid apprehension.
"For anyone driving a stolen car dangerously - know that whether it's on the ground, or from the sky, there's no getting away once we have eyes on you."
