25 June 2013 – Armed Robbery – Business Premises – North Ballarat
Published June 28, 2013 | 
Detectives from Ballarat Crime Investigation Unit are investigating an attempted armed robbery in North Ballarat last night. It’s believed a male entered a business premises in Armstrong Street around 9.15pm and produced what is thought to be a sawn-off firearm. The offender made a demand for cash but left empty-handed in what is reported to be a silver-coloured vehicle. Investigators have released a still image from CCTV footage, hoping that the man can be identified.
25 June 2013 – CCTV Released – Armed Robberies – Service Station/Milkbars – Sunbury
Published June 28, 2013 | Fawkner Embona Taskforce detectives have released CCTV images following a number of armed robberies in Sunbury yesterday.
Just after 3am, the first robbery was committed on a service station in Horne Street, Sunbury.
The offender managed to get inside the store and after asking for cigarettes produced a knife and demanded money.
The man fled on foot with a small sum of money.
The second occurred around 8.40pm at a milk bar in McKewen Drive when a male offender entered the shop armed with a knife and demanded cash.
The man, described as wearing a fluorescent yellow jacket, dark blue work pants, motor cycle gloves and helmet fled with a small sum of money.
It’s believed the same man is responsible for a third robbery 15 minutes later at another milk bar in Mitchells Lane.
The man again approached the counter and after asking for a packet of cigarettes made attempts to steal cash from the till.
The female victim picked up the phone to call Triple Zero and the man fled the scene without any cash.
He is yet to be identified and detectives have released CCTV from the McKewen Drive and Horne Street offences in the hope that the man can be identified.
12 June 2013 -Update – CCTV Release – Armed Robbery – Milk Bar – Seaford
Published June 15, 2013 | Frankston Embona Taskforce detectives are appealing for witnesses following an armed robbery at a milk bar in Seaford last month.
Investigators have been told a man armed with a knife entered the milk bar on Armstrongs Road just before 4pm on Wednesday 15 May.
It is alleged he entered the milk bar several times without purchasing anything before making demands for cash from the attendant.
The female attendant handed over a small amount of cash and the bandit fled the scene.
He was last seen running east on Armstrongs Road.
No one was injured during the incident.
The offender is described as being Caucasian in appearance, aged 16 to 21-years-old with a slim build and dark hair.
He was wearing a black hooded jumper and dark sunglasses.
Detectives have released an image of a man they believe may be able to assist with their investigation.
5 June 2013 – Armed Robbery – Bottle Shop – Pascoe Vale
Published June 7, 2013 | Fawkner Embona detectives are appealing for witnesses following an armed robbery at a Pascoe Vale bottle shop last week.
Investigators have been told a man armed with a Samurai sword and wearing a balaclava entered the bottle shop on Fawkner Road on Friday 31 May just after 9.00pm.
Once inside the store the man threatened the attendant and made demands for cash from the till.
The attendant handed over cash and the offender took some alcoholic cans and fled the scene. He was last seen running along Fawkner Road towards Railway Parade.
The man has been described as Caucasian in appearance in his early 20s, between 173 and 180cm tall with a slim build.
He was wearing a dark balaclava, blue hooded jumper with two stripes on the side, dark pants and light coloured runners.
5 June 2013 – Armed Robbery – Milk Bar – Berwick
Published June 7, 2013 | Dandenong Embona Taskforce detectives are appealing for witnesses after an armed robbery at a milk bar in Berwick last month.
Investigators have been told two men entered the Mansfield Street business just after 9pm on Friday 3 May.
One of the offenders, armed with a baseball bat, made demands for cash to the shop owner’s 13-year-old son.
The offender then violently smashed a cash register and computer screen on the counter.
The shop owner, a 40-year-old man, then came out onto the shop floor and began throwing an empty cardboard box at the offenders.
The men then stole a number of bags of lollies before fleeing the shop.
No one was injured during the incident.
The first offender is described as being slim build and approximately 170cm tall.
He was wearing a light-coloured hooded jumper with dark-coloured sleeves, dark-coloured pants, a balaclava and was carrying a black backpack.
The other offender is described as being approximately 170cm tall and slim build.
He was wearing a dark-coloured hooded jumper, dark-coloured pants, a black balaclava and ugg boots.
The man was also carrying a large, dark-coloured roller bag on his back.
4 June 2013 – CCTV Released – Armed Robbery – Convenience Store – Sunbury
Published June 7, 2013 | Fawkner Embona Taskforce detectives have released CCTV images following an armed robbery at a convenience store in Sunbury last weekend.
Investigators have been told a man entered the Gap Road store about 2.45am on Sunday 2 June wearing a black motorcycle helmet.
The man, armed with a knife, made demands for cash.
He then fled on foot with some cash and was last seen heading east on Gap Road.
No one was injured during the incident.
The offender is described as being Caucasian, aged in his 40s, solid build and approximately 185cm tall.
He was wearing a Suzuki motorcycle jacket, jeans and runners.
Police believe the black motorcycle helmet had stickers on the side of it.
4 June 2013 – Armed Robberies – Bottle Shop – Essendon
Published June 7, 2013 | Fawkner Embona detectives are appealing for witnesses following two armed robberies at an Essendon bottle shop.
Investigators have been told a man armed with a knife and wearing a balaclava entered the bottle shop on Primrose Street near Albion Street on Saturday 25 May just after 7.30pm.
The man then threatened the attendant and made demands for cash from the till.
The attendant handed over cash and the offender fled the scene. He was last seen running east along Albion Street towards Brunswick.
Detectives believe the same offender wearing a balaclava attended the same bottle shop last night just after 7.30pm.
The man threatened the attendant with a knife and demanded cash.
Cash was handed over and the bandit fled the scene.
He was last seen running east on Albion Street.
He has been described as Caucasian in appearance, 180cm tall with a medium build.
On both occasions he was wearing a black balaclava and dark clothing.
29 May 2013 – VIC Police – Latest Crime Statistics
Published May 31, 2013 | Victoria Police has today published its latest crime statistics.
The statistics compare the 12 months to March 2013 with the 12 months to March 2012.
The overall recorded crime rate across the state has increased by 3.8 per cent, measured as a rate per 100,000 of the population which is standard across Australia.
The total number of offences recorded is up by 5.6 per cent (up 21,347 offences to a total of 403,618 offences). Crime against the person has increased by 7.4 per cent per 100,000 population. This is largely due to an increase in the rate of assaults, up 11.9 per cent.
Robbery is down 14.3 per cent. Crime against property has decreased by 0.4 per cent as a rate per 100,000 population, mainly due to declines in property damage (down 5.6 per cent) and theft from motor vehicle (down 4.4 per cent).
Residential burglaries are up 1.2 per cent and theft of motor vehicles has increased by 2.5 per cent.
Drug offences have increased by 12.7 per cent as a rate per 100,000 population. Other crimes, which include justice procedures, weapons/explosives and behaviour in public offences, have increased by 18.7 per cent as a rate per 100,000 population.
Deputy Commissioner Lucinda Nolan said family violence related crime continued to drive up the overall statistics. Ms Nolan also attributed the increase in statistics to more detected crime such as drug offences and behaviour in public offences.
“Total crime is still increasing. This is still a concern to us, especially with family violence related offences accounting for 38.6 per cent of crime against the person,” Ms Nolan said. “But having said that, we take some satisfaction from knowing the rate of increase has slowed since last quarter and we’re trending in the right direction, especially around robberies, property damage and theft of motor vehicles.”
The local area commanders in charge of each police service area have provided a written commentary accompanying the statistics. To view them visit My Place at www.vicpolicenews.com.au/myplace
27 May 2013 – Update – Appeal – $200,000 Identity Fraud – Bank – Dandenong
Published May 27, 2013 | Police are appealing for assistance to identify a man they believe produced false identification and withdrew more than $200,000 from a bank in Dandenong in March.
At around 12.45pm on Tuesday 12 March, the male offender entered the bank on Lonsdale Street, produced false identification and withdrew the cheque.
The cheque was deposited into a falsely established bank account later that day and withdrawn as cash three days later.
The offender is described as being of Southern European appearance and was wearing workman’s clothes with white paint or plaster on his tracksuit pants.
Police have released the following images of a man they believe can assist with their investigation.
27 May 2013 – Update – Arrest – Armed Robbery – Liquor Store – Ashwood
Published May 27, 2013 | Police have arrested a man following an incident in Ashwood on Thursday.
Investigators were called to a liquor store on Cleveland Road around 8pm following reports of an armed robbery.
A 17-year-old Glen Waverley boy received lacerations to the torso during and was taken to the Alfred Hospital in a stable condition.
Police last night arrested a 21-year-old Donvale man in relation to the incident.
He was charged with charged with armed robbery and assault and will face the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today.
