POLICE have experienced a rise in aggravated burglaries across the Mornington Peninsula and are pleading with residents to lock their doors. Local police intelligence indicates almost 65 per cent of peninsula homes targeted by offenders this year were unlocked. A further 20 per cent were unsuccessful attempts, when would-be thieves tried doors and windows, but realised they were secured.
Police across the Mornington Peninsula are targeting burglars in the area, who are taking advantage of both unlocked homes and unoccupied holiday homes in the cooler months. A man accused of 16 home and commercial burglaries, as well as stealing and breaking into cars has been arrested and charged. Police will allege the 28-year-old is responsible for the spate of burglaries and theft offences across Blairgowrie, Dromana, Mount Martha, Rosebud, and Rye, within a period of just one month. Between 17 June and 16 July, he is accused of breaking into homes, supermarkets, liquor stores, and stealing cars, a motorbike, fishing gear, cigarettes, and alcohol.
Some alleged incidents include:
- The man gained entry into a property on Fawkner Avenue, Blairgowrie in the early hours of 17 June, before allegedly searching through a vehicle and stealing a DVD player and two bottles of wine from the garage.
- On 28 June, he is accused of reversing a stolen Hilux ute into a supermarket on Point Nepean Road, Blairgowrie just before 5.30am. He allegedly gained entry and broke into drawers, taking $13,000 worth of cigarettes.
- At about 5am on 12 July, he allegedly gained access into the carport of a home on Dundas Street, Rye, and stole a brand new Honda dirt bike.
- At 4am on 15 July, the man used a rope to scale the outside roller door of a licenced premises on Point Nepean Road, Dromana, and climbed inside, where he allegedly smashed open a cigarette vending machine and stole cigarettes. He fled on a dirt bike wearing a hi-vis shirt and goggles.
Following extensive enquiries, police located the suspect asleep in a white MG hatchback hire vehicle parked on the foreshore area of Point Nepean Road, Dromana, on Wednesday 17 July. The man allegedly began swearing at police after he was awoken, before starting the car and reversing into a police vehicle. Police used a baton to smash the driver side window, and deployed capsicum spray through the window. The man allegedly ran from police before he was swiftly arrested. The Rosebud man was charged with 41 offences and was remanded to appear in Frankston Magistrates’ Court on 23 August.
“The peninsula is an overwhelmingly safe place to live, and it’s likely that residents feel safe – which is great – however, not everyone has good intentions,” said Mornington Peninsula police Inspector Terry Rowlands. “Locking your home and car doors and windows – especially at night – will lower your chances of falling victim to thieves.
“We are also asking owners of holiday homes to check that their properties are secured, especially if they are unoccupied for long periods during the cooler months. “To help spread the message, we are utilising roadside electronic message boards along the peninsula, as a friendly reminder for residents and visitors to lock their doors to deter opportunistic thieves who are looking for an easy way inside. “Rest assured that police are out there every day and night to disrupt and deter criminals.”
First published in the Mornington News – 20 August 2024
