An overnight operation on August 3 in the Wyndham area led to the arrest of five people allegedly involved in evading police and dangerous driving, while a further 14 were issued with infringement notices.
Operation Shows is regularly run in the western suburbs, involving local police working alongside specialist units including Air Wing, Dog Squad and Highway Patrol. Air Wing officers scour the area from above while units on the ground patrol the streets to detect risky or dangerous drivers. The Dog Squad assist in searching for any offenders who attempt to flee.
At about 8.10pm, police were patrolling Watton Street in Werribee when a black motorbike was observed not displaying registration plates. Air Wing tracked the motorbike driving at high speeds before it came to a stop at a residential premise in Point Cook. Police arrested a 20-year-old man and impounded the motorbike. It is expected he will be charged with conduct endangering persons, drive in a dangerous manner, evade police, unlicenced driving, drive an unregistered vehicle, disobey red traffic light and exceed speed limit.
Just before 9pm, police attempted to intercept a Hi-Lux ute in a car park of a shopping centre on Derrimut Road, when it evaded police at high speeds. Air Wing monitored the driver to O’Keefe Court, where officers on the ground made an arrest. A 34-year-old Hoppers Crossing man was interviewed and is expected to be charged with evade police, drive while disqualified, exceed speed limit and drive in a dangerous manner. The vehicle was impounded.
At about 9.55pm units on the ground observed a silver Ford Territory on Derrimut Road displaying allegedly stolen registration plates. Air Wing tracked the car to Yenda Court, where two alleged offenders fled on foot. Police on the ground were quick to respond, arresting two people nearby. A 41-year-old Werribee man – the alleged driver – was charged with theft, unlicenced driving, unregistered vehicle and commit an indictable offence while on bail. A 31-year-old Werribee woman – the alleged passenger – was charged with handle stolen goods and commit an indictable offence while on bail. They were both bailed to appear at court at a later date. The Ford Territory was impounded.
At about 1am on Friday morning, Dog Squad units observed an unregistered Ford Falcon ute on the Princes Highway in Werribee. It’s alleged the vehicle evaded police when an intercept was attempted. Air Wing located the vehicle and tracked it to Forsyth Road where units on the ground responded and arrested the driver. It’s alleged the driver was an unaccompanied learner, and the 20-year-old Werribee South man is expected to be charged on summons with evade police, unregistered vehicle and learner driver unaccompanied. The ute was impounded.
Police also caught up with a further 14 people, issuing them with infringement notices for driving offences including drug driving, using a mobile phone while driving, speeding, driving on the wrong side of the road and fail to display P plates.
During the operation, over 130 vehicles were checked and 39 were intercepted.