Operation nabs four for west sport venue break-ins

Four men have been charged over robberies at 20 sporting venues across Melbourne’s inner west.

Clubs broken into include Altona Sports Club, Westgate Golf Club in Spotswood, Kooringal Golf Club in Altona, Werribee Golf Club, and Altona North, Yarraville and Werribee bowls clubs.

A full inventory of the amount stolen is still being undertaken, but the total is believed to be about $38,000.

Detective Sergeant Brad Lawrence of the Hobsons Bay crime investigation unit said mainly coins were stolen.

“In some instances, poker machines were broken into,” he said.

He said three men were arrested last Thursday after a burglary at Westgate Golf Club. A fourth man was subsequently arrested at Kerang in northern Victoria.

The arrests were a culmination of Operation Bare Foot, investigating burglaries at 20 venues between May 29 and July 17.

A 23-year-old Tarneit man and 19- year-old Wyndham Vale man have been remanded to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on July 31 and August 15, respectively.

A 19-year-old Werribee man and 22-year-old Kerang man were bailed until November 11 and October 16, respectively.