Eastern Region Crime Squad detectives are investigating two separate crime sprees across Melbourne last night.
Officers performing Operation Trinity duties were called to six incidents in Melbourne's south-east, all involving a group of males and a red Honda Civic that has since been recovered by police:
• Six male offenders attended a service station on Balwyn Road, Balwyn about 6.50pm and stole cash and cigarettes.
• Five males attended a service station on Manningham Road in Bulleen about 7pm and stole cash and cigarettes.
• Four male offenders attended a service station on Middleborough Road, Blackburn South about 7.50pm and stole cash and cigarettes.
• Two males attended a service station on Kangaroo Road, Murrumbeena about 8.20pm, before jumping the counter and stealing cash.
• Six males attended a service station on the corner of Centre Dandenong and Grange roads, Moorabbin about 8.45pm and stole cash and cigarettes.
• Four males attended a service station on Lower Dandenong Road, Braeside about 9.30pm. Two male staff members were assaulted and nothing was stolen.
Detectives believe these six incidents are linked.
Simultaneously, another group of males were committing a crime spree across the eastern suburbs:
• Five males attended a service station on Ferntree Gully Road, Scoresby about 8.15pm and stole cash.
• Four males attempted to force entry to a supermarket on Canterbury Road, Heathmont but were unsuccessful.
• Five males attended a service station on Mitcham Road, Mitcham about 8.35pm and assaulted a staff member before stealing cigarettes and cash. They proceeded next door to a takeaway restaurant and stole cash before fleeing.
• Four offenders attended a service station on High Street, Templestowe Lower about 8.56pm and fled empty-handed when they observed a customer in the store.
Detectives believe these four incidents are linked.
Anyone who witnessed the incidents, has CCTV, dashcam footage or any information that could assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Victoria Police has a dedicated operation targeting burglars and car thieves from dusk to dawn across Melbourne.
On top of standard patrols, there are large numbers of additional police including members of the Dog Squad, Public Order Response and Air Wing, specifically tasked with preventing and responding to burglaries and car thefts each night.
As a result of this intense focus, police arrested 688 burglars and car thieves almost 1,650 times over the past year.
That equates to more than four burglars and car thieves arrested every single day.
Operation Trinity is Victoria Police's most well-resourced operation, with over 140,000 policing hours dedicated solely to this operation in 2024.
On top of this, the Air Wing spent well over a thousand hours in the sky last year tracking burglars and car thieves as part of Trinity.
Latest police intelligence indicates that as many as 90% of all aggravated burglaries in key hotspots are through unlocked doors/windows or unsuccessful attempts when the offender has discovered the property is locked.
As such, police implore the community to take simple steps such as locking all doors and windows on your home and car.
The data tells is undeniable - if you lock your doors, your chances of falling victim dramatically decrease.
Please use the below data for media requests seeking Operation Trinity arrest figures. These figures can also be added to briefings to support spokespeople.
Operation Trinity - 2024 calendar year
• 688 offenders arrested a combined 1,642 times in connection to aggravated burglaries where a car(s) was stolen. This includes arrests made on night shift, as well as follow up investigations.
• Arrests made in relation to 1,788 burglaries where cars were stolen.
• 65.4% of these arrests were related to child offenders aged between 10 - 17.
• 82.8% of these arrests were offenders aged under 25.
• All figures relate solely to Operation Trinity and its areas of operation, which include Boroondara/Manningham/Monash/Whitehorse, Dandenong/Casey/Cardinia, Kingston/Glen Eira/Bayside, Banyule/Darebin/Nillumbik/Whittlesea, Frankston/Mornington Peninsula, Stonnington/Port Phillip, Knox/Maroondah/Yarra Ranges.
