Alleged hooning burglar faces 46 charges

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An alleged hit-run driver who crashed into a parked car in Springvale while dropping burnouts is facing almost 50 charges including multiple burglaries.

Police say the 26-year-old Mulgrave man crashed on Hope Street on 31 August 2023 and fled on foot.

He allegedly made a false report to police that the vehicle was stolen at the time.

Dandenong Achilles Taskforce detectives arrested the man on Lonsdale Street, Melbourne about 10.30am on Wednesday 20 March.

He was charged with nine offences relating to 31 August, including:

• Perjury

• Making a false report to police

• Failing to give information as to the driver

• Driving a vehicle causing loss of traction

• Failing to exchange his name and address after a collision

• Failing to report to police after a collision

• Failing to render assistance after a collision.

The man allegedly made an earlier report that the vehicle was stolen on 11 August.

Achilles investigators say they linked the vehicle and the man to a series of alleged commercial burglaries and thefts across south-east Melbourne in the early hours of 10 August 2023.

They occurred at shopping centres on High Street, Cranbourne and Police Road, Mulgrave, as well as a service station on Hall Road, Carrum Downs, police say.

The man was charged with an additional 37 offences, including:

• Making a false report to police

• Destruction of evidence

• Six counts of burglary

• Five counts of criminal damage

• Eight counts of going equipped to steal

• Theft from motor vehicle

• Petrol theft

• Attempted theft of a mail article

• Tampering with a mail receptacle

• Damaging a mail receptacle

The man appeared at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 21 March.

He was further remanded to reappear in the same court on 9 April.