Burglars and car thieves are among almost 90 people arrested during a regular nightly operation in Melbourne's southeast this year.
Operation Advance - which sees local police team up with specialist units including the Air Wing and Dog Squad - launched in January to target high harm crime while the community sleeps.
It runs regularly across the Manningham, Monash, Whitehorse and Boroondara areas.
Key results from the year include:
- 88 arrests
- 38 stolen vehicles recovered
- 48 vehicle impounds
- 18 drink and drug driving detections
- 150 penalty notices issuing for traffic offences
- Four firearms seized
During last Thursday's operation, police arrested five offenders, recovered two stolen vehicles, detected three drink and drug drivers and checked almost 300 vehicles.
Those arrested include:
- A 38-year-old woman who was arrested in an allegedly stolen car in the early hours of Friday 19 December. Highway Patrol officers detected the vehicle, which had no plates, allegedly travelling at 127km/h on High Street in Mount Waverley about 12.50am. The Air Wing followed the car from above and tracked it to a shopping centre where units on the ground surrounded the vehicle. The Cranbourne North woman, and a 29-year-old male passenger were arrested without incident. Officers also located allegedly stolen property in the car.
- A 40-year-old woman who was arrested after residents reported a burglary at their neighbour's home in Mulgrave about 9pm on Thursday. With Air Wing assistance, officers on ground set up a cordon at the address and arrested the woman without incident.
- A 30-year-old driver who was detected allegedly travelling at 140km/h in a 100km/h zone on the Monash Freeway about 11pm on Thursday. Air Wing tracked the vehicle to an address in Lynbrook and members on the ground arrested the man.
Other notable arrests from across the year include:
- Three men who were arrested after police detected a vehicle travelling 150km/h on the Monash Freeway about 11.30pm on 13 March. The Air Wing tracked the vehicle to a service station in Cranbourne South where police arrested three occupants, aged 24, 22, and 26. Officers also located a shotgun inside the vehicle.
- Four children who were arrested after police detected an outstanding stolen car, with stolen plates, travelling on the Monash Freeway in Oakleigh about 10.30pm on 11 September. The Air Wing followed the car through a number of suburbs to St Albans where the car stopped at a petrol station. Members on ground arrested the occupants, all aged between 12 and 13 without incident.
Advance will continue in 2026, with plans for the next operation already underway.
Quotes attributable to Senior Sergeant Andrew Faulkner, Glen Waverley Uniform:
"The success of Op Advance is not just in our arrests, it's the crime we have disrupted and prevented from happening in the first place as well.
"We know that because those using stolen cars at night are very likely doing so to commit further offences.
"That's why operations like Advance are so important - and effective - because we can safely stop these offenders in their tracks.
"There is no outrunning the Air Wing."
