Operation Bird targets thieves

301063_33 South East police units are cracking down on theft with Operation Bird.

A Hampton Park man has been arrested following a slew of thefts in the South East.

It comes as South East police units step up the heat on opportunistic thieves targeting vehicles and property with a dedicated operation.

The on-going operation sees officers across Melbourne’s south-east actively conduct uniform and covert patrols every night of the week, intercepting vehicles, checking people, and gathering intelligence.

As part of Operation Bird, there were two arrests in Melbourne’s south-east this week.

At approximately 7am on Monday, 24 October, Cheltenham police responded to a call of a suspect loiter in Kubis Crescent, Dingley Village.

When police arrived, a man riding a white bicycle attempted to flee the area.

Officers gave chase and arrested the man a short while later, seizing the bicycle at the time of the man’s arrest.

Police will allege the man broke into six vehicles in Dingley Village between the hours of 11pm on Sunday 23 October and 6am on Monday morning, allegedly stealing number plates, electronic goods, personal items, and a bicycle.

It is alleged the man is also linked to three further theft related incidents in Carnegie and Ormond, and an aggravated burglary in Ormond last week.

The 30-year-old Hampton Park man has been charged with theft from motor vehicle, theft and handling stolen goods.

He has been remanded to appear before the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 27 October.

On 25 October, Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit detectives executed a search warrant in Hughesdale where a 25-year-old Hughesdale woman was arrested in relation to a series of aggravated burglaries in Caulfield.

Police will allege the Hughesdale woman gained and attempted to gain access to four properties between the hours of 3am to 4am on Friday 21 October.

The 25-year-old has been charged with aggravated burglary, attempted aggravated burglary, theft, handle stolen goods, dealing with the proceeds of crime and committing an indictable offence while on bail.

She has been remanded to appear before the Moorabbin Magistrates Court on 22 November.

Based on real-time intelligence, police in all areas will continue to saturate areas of offending, honing in on suspicious activity and swooping on would be criminals before they can harm our community, police said.