General News
10 October, 2022
Police charge two men over Dunach theft
zPOLICE Two men have been charged over the theft of firearms, jewellery, and antique coins from a Dunach property this month after police spotted the pair towing an allegedly stolen vehicle along High Street. According to police, the two men gained...
Two men have been charged over the theft of firearms, jewellery, and antique coins from a Dunach property this month after police spotted the pair towing an allegedly stolen vehicle along High Street.
According to police, the two men gained access to a Dunach property on the Ballarat-Maryborough Road on October 3 and ransacked the main bedroom, stealing jewellery and antique coins.
It is then alleged the pair located keys to a firearms safe and stole five firearms stored inside.
On October 5, Maryborough police officers spotted two men towing an allegedly stolen vehicle on High Street, Maryborough.
The officers intercepted the vehicle and recovered two of the allegedly stolen firearms —a shot gun and a rifle — which were both loaded.
A 33-year-old man and 21-year-old man, both from Melton West, were arrested at the scene and later charged with multiple offences including burglary, theft of firearm, theft, possess a traffickable quantity of firearms, and theft of motor vehicle.
On October 6, Western Region Crime Squad detectives searched a Melton West home, seizing the three remaining allegedly stolen firearms — three shot guns.
Police also seized firearm-related material belonging to the first two firearms located in the vehicle at Maryborough.
All five firearms allegedly stolen from the Dunach property have now been recovered, along with the jewellery and antique coins.
Western Region Crime Squad Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Jade Gercovich said illicit firearms have a “devastating impact” on communities.
“There is no doubt arrests such as these have a dramatic impact in relation to enhancing overall community safety across the Maryborough region and the wider community,” she said.
“Illicit firearms have a devastating impact on the community. We know they are a great enabler of serious and organised crime — they feature strongly in a range of offending such as drug manufacture and trafficking, homicides, armed robberies, extortions, aggravated burglaries, car jackings and family violence.
“We are absolutely committed to reducing harm caused by illicit firearms across western Victoria. Our team will continue to target firearm-related crime to keep the community safe.”
The 33-year-old man has been remanded to face Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on January 11.
The 21-year-old man has been remanded to face Bendigo Magistrates’ Court at a later date.