Nine people have been arrested and charged after police located a factory allegedly filled with stolen goods in Wantirna South on 10 January.
Officers on the Knox and Rowville vans were first on scene to a factory on Lewis Road after receiving reports of suspicious activity.
An allegedly stolen Renault van was driven through a boundary fence before being located abandoned on in Ringwood East.
Seven people inside the factory were swiftly arrested.
Police including detectives from Knox Crime Investigation Unit located over 150 allegedly stolen items and other items including -
• a VF Commodore sedan
• a Ford Falcon utility
• multiple power tools
• drugs including crystal methamphetamine, cannabis and GHB
• a handgun
• multiple laptops/tablets/mobile phones
An eighth suspect was arrested after turning up to the factory while officers were on-site.
A 35-year-old Craigieburn man, a 31-year-old Wallan man, a 27-year-old Oakleigh South man, a 34-year-old man of no fixed address, a 23-year-old Deniliquin man, a 28-year-old Badger Creek man and a 23-year-old Mooroolbark woman and a 20-year-old Rowville woman were interviewed and released from custody pending further enquiries.
The driver of the allegedly stolen Renault van was arrested on 14 January by Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit detectives.
A 23-year-old Clayton man was charged with reckless exposure of police officer to risk by driving, three counts of theft of motor vehicle, criminal damage and drive whilst disqualified.
He was remanded in custody to appear at Ringwood Magistrates' Court on 21 January 2025.
