Police, including officers from Operation Trinity, have arrested a man after it is alleged that a car was spotted baring false plates, and driving dangerously, in Preston this morning.
Officers caught sight of a Black Honda SUV allegedly driving erratically, and at a fast rate of speed, in the vicinity of Wood Street about 3.30am.
Police on the ground, with the assistance of Airwing, maintained eyes on the vehicle as it allegedly ran a red light on St Georges Road.
The driver of the Honda allegedly dumped the car in a Penola Street carpark before taking off on foot.
Police moved in and it's alleged the driver of the Honda was spotted throwing away items as he ran.
Officers chased down the alleged driver who was then promptly arrested.
The man was taken to hospital for treatment where he remains.
He will be interviewed by police.
Police seized a bumbag, a car key and a mobile phone close to the scene.
Investigators allege that the Honda was baring false plates.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with CCTV/dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Victoria Police has a 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 tells is undeniable - if you lock your doors, your chances of falling victim dramatically decrease.
