A LARGE police operation involving 24 Kingston police officers, Dog Squad and Air Wing tracked a gang of burglars for several hours in the southern suburbs, early Sunday morning, as they set out to raid stores at Chadstone, DFO Moorabbin, Waverly Gardens and a service station in East Boundary Rd, Bentleigh.
The men were seen “casing” Southland shopping centre but drove off when they saw they were being monitored and turned their attention to DFO, in Centre Dandenong Rd, where they stole clothing valued at $10,000 from Kathmandu, 3.30am.
Police said the men, driving a stolen silver Toyota Camry sedan, registration SER459, were first seen attempting a burglary, 1.30am, at Waverley Gardens, where they tried to ram a police vehicle before escaping. They were then seen attempting to break into the Tiffany store at Chadstone, 2.20am, but again aborted the raid when spotted and drove off.
Police coordinated units at Southland, 2.55am, when the Camry was seen in the car park off Chesterville Rd. Cordons were set in place but the car again evaded police and drove east up Bernard St. Gang members were later seen smashing open cash registers at Dingley.
The Dog Squad was called in to track them at a distance until the Air Wing was in position to call their location. It followed the men to a Springvale car park where they rammed a police car before fleeing into the city where contact was lost.
Detective Senior Constable Gordon McSephney, of Kingston CIU, said the gang’s method of entry was to smash glass door panels to reach door buttons and force outer doors open, before smashing glass doors into shops. CCTV cameras at all locations showed five gang members attempting the break-ins while another man drove the Camry. He urges anyone being offered cheap Kathmandu clothing to contact him on 95566111 or Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 1 June 2016