As part of Operation Trinity, Knox Crime Investigation Unit detectives have charged four boys following an alleged pursuit throughout Melbourne’s south-east yesterday.
Police were alerted to an allegedly stolen red Isuzu D-Max ute driving in Box Hill about 12.15am.
Trinity units attended and patrolled the area for the vehicle.
The ute was spotted by police on Wellington Road and the Monash Freeway about 12.35am.
With the assistance of Air Wing, officers successfully deployed stop sticks on the Monash Freeway, Glen Iris, just before 2am.
A pursuit was initiated and a second round of stop sticks were deployed.
The ute crashed into a tree at slow speed on Springvale Road, Glen Waverley.
Two 13-year-old Noble Park boys, a 14-year-old Doveton boy and a 15-year-old Springvale boy were arrested shortly after.
The Springvale boy sustained a police dog bite whilst allegedly attempting to resist being taken into custody. He was transported to hospital with minor injuries.
It is alleged that the vehicle was stolen from an address in Coldstream on Thursday or Friday of last week.
Three were charged with theft of motor vehicle and bailed to appear before a children’s court at a later date with the fourth to later be summonsed.
Further charges are to be laid in relation to the driving offences.
Operation Trinity, which runs every single night until dawn is Victoria Police’s most well-resourced frontline policing operation at present.
There are 70 additional police rostered each night, on top of existing patrols.
This includes frontline officers, Highway Patrol members, the Dog Squad, Public Order Response Team, and Air Wing.
As a result of this intense focus, police have made over 1,400 arrests relating to burglaries and car thefts – with the overwhelming majority of these offenders’ children. A further 2300 night shift arrests have also been made for other criminal offending due to the strong police presence as part of Operation Trinity.
