Seventeen arrested as part of Operation Shops

North West Metro Region police have arrested seventeen people as part of an ongoing investigation into a series of aggravated burglaries, robberies and thefts in Melbourne’s west and the Surf Coast over the month of January.

Detectives and officers from Brimbank, Melton, Caroline Springs, and Altona North, along with Echo Taskforce and Southern Metro Crime Team officers executed six search warrants this morning in Derrimut, Keilor Downs, Tarneit, Fraser Rise and Hallam, resulting in the arrest of four males.

The warrants came after police charged nine males in a dynamic arrest last Thursday (16 January) as part of the same investigation, after officers were alerted to two alleged stolen vehicles stationary on Stirling Drive, Derrimut.

When police arrived, one of their vehicles was rammed by the alleged stolen vehicle.

Detectives from the Brimbank Wayward Taskforce, with the support of Police Air Wing and Dog Squad responded and located the vehicles.

Throughout the operation a further five males were arrested and charged.

In total, a range of charges have been laid against the group for offences including robbery, affray, theft, theft of motor vehicle, burglary, obtain property by deception and driving offences. Those charged included:

• A 17-year-old male from Derrimut

• A 17-year-old male from Derrimut

• A 17-year-old male from Derrimut

• A 17-year-old male from Tarneit

• A 16-year-old male from St Albans

• A 16-year-old male from Keilor Downs

• A 16-year-old male from Fraser Rise

• A 15-year-old male from Footscray

• A 16-year-old male from Albion

• A 15-year-old male from Albanvale

• A 15-year-old male from Kings Park

• A 15-year-old male from Melton

• A 15-year-old male from Sunshine West

• A 14-year-old male from St Albans

• A 14-year-old male from St Albans

• A 14-year-old male from St Albans

• A 14-year-old male from Wyndham Vale

Fourteen of the youths have been remanded in custody, with all seventeen to appear at a children’s court at a later date.

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