Whitehorse Crime Investigation Unit detectives have charged a teenager after three vehicles were stolen in a spate of incidents in the eastern suburbs over the weekend.
Detectives arrested the 15-year-old Frankston boy at an Alamein Road address in Ashburton on Tuesday, 28 June.
The teen has been charged with 12 offences including aggravated burglary, burglary, theft and driving offences.
The charges relate to a series of alleged incidents on 26 June including:
– An aggravated burglary at a residence in Mahoney’s Road, Forest Hill, where a Toyota Camry and Toyota HiAce were stolen.
– An aggravated burglary in Meaden Street, Ashburton, where a Ford Ranger was stolen.
– The theft of petrol from a service station on Blackburn Road in Burwood East.
– The theft of a bag from inside a vehicle at Sky Lane in Ashburton.
The Toyota Camry and Ford Ranger that were allegedly stolen have since been recovered while the HiAce remains outstanding.
The 15-year-old was remanded to face a children’s court at a later date.
This arrest comes as part of Operation Fortress, which is an ongoing operation targeting residential burglaries and associated car thefts across Boroondara, Manningham, Monash, and Whitehorse.
Investigations into the incidents remain ongoing, anyone with information that could assist police with their enquiries is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.auExternal Link
Quotes attributed to Whitehorse CIU Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Brad March:
“If you think you’ve got the right to enter someone else’s property to steal, think again. We will have absolutely no hesitation arresting you and putting you before the courts.
“Thankfully these communities are an incredibly safe part of the world, however that doesn’t mean police will sit back and wait for offending to occur.
“As part of Operation Fortress, local police are sharing intelligence on known persons of interest, intercepting vehicles, and regularly patrolling local streets to detect and deter offending.
“While police will continue to play our part by stopping offending before it can occur and locking up criminals, we encourage everyone to play their part by locking their windows and doors, installing good quality locks on external windows and doors, and considering additional measures such as security screen doors, sensor lights, and overt CCTV cameras.”
