Truganina Property Part of 36-Car Theft Investigation

Organised Car Theft Ring Busted, Four Arrested in Melbourne

Detectives in Melton have successfully disbanded an organised car theft syndicate operating in Melbourne’s west, leading to the arrest of the suspected ringleader and the recovery of 36 stolen vehicles. Four individuals were arrested last week at a location in Sunbury, including the alleged mastermind behind the operation.

The group is accused of stealing a black Holden Commodore from a café in Caroline Springs on 23 March. The stolen vehicle was traced by the police to a property on Greigs Road in Truganina the same day. With the help of the Air Wing, police spotted at least four stolen vehicles at the back of the property. The vehicles reportedly fled the scene upon noticing the helicopter overhead. They were later found unoccupied in south-eastern and eastern suburbs.

One of the stolen vehicles failed to escape the property after getting stuck while attempting to break through a wire fence. Investigators also link the group to a property on Plumpton Road in Diggers Rest, where 30 stolen vehicles, including a tow truck and a car carrier trailer, were previously recovered.

The recovered vehicles are alleged to have been stolen from various suburbs across the state, such as Albert Park, Brighton, Caroline Springs, Essendon, and Werribee. The thieves reportedly forced entry into the vehicles and used onboard diagnostic tools to steal them swiftly.

Among the stolen vehicles were several Holden Commodores, a Holden Special Vehicle Maloo valued at $200,000, a Toyota Landcruiser, and car carrier trailers. The police also found several registration plates within the seized vehicles, allegedly stolen from railway stations throughout the state.

In addition to the car thefts, the group is accused of stealing large quantities of copper, which they were allegedly stripping and reselling. During the Sunbury warrant on 31 March, police also recovered a significant amount of stolen copper, ammunition, methylamphetamine, Suboxone, and two onboard diagnostic tools.

The alleged ringleader, a 26-year-old man from Riddells Creek, has been charged with multiple counts of motor vehicle theft, firearm possession, dangerous driving, reckless conduct, handling stolen goods, and possession of ammunition. He is due to appear at Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on 2 May.

A 43-year-old woman from Diggers Rest and a 28-year-old man from Bacchus Marsh were also arrested and charged with theft-related offences and drug possession. They have been bailed to appear in court at a later date. A fourth person, a 29-year-old man from Ballarat, was interviewed and released pending further enquiries.

The police are continuing their investigation into the alleged syndicate, with more arrests expected. Detective Acting Sergeant David Bonnier of the Melton Crime Investigation Unit said, “This result is extremely positive for the community, with investigators from Melton working tirelessly over the last few weeks to not only recover these vehicles but to put an end to further thefts.” He added that the police are committed to addressing the rise in car thefts and returning stolen vehicles to their rightful owners.