- Published:
- Thursday 28 May 2026 at 11:00 am
A man has this morning been arrested in Queensland as part of the Armed Crime Squad investigation into an armed robbery and the shooting of three men at Chadstone Shopping Centre in 1994.
With assistance from Queensland Police Service’s Gold Coast Major Organised Crime Squad, two search warrants were executed this morning at addresses in Southport and Nerang.
A 78-year-old Southport man was taken into custody.
He appeared at Southport Magistrates’ Court on Thursday afternoon, where extradition to Melbourne was approved.
The Southport man has been charged with the following offences:
- Armed robbery,
- Intentionally cause serious injury,
- Two counts of intentionally cause injury,
- Reckless conduct endanger life,
- Theft,
- Common law assault,
- Carrying pistol without certificate, and
- The Commonwealth offence of dealing with property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.
He will appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on 1 June.
A number of mobile phones, two laptops and a quantity of cash were seized.
His arrest follows an appeal for information earlier this month after Armed Crime Squad detectives reopened the cold case investigation when new intelligence was received.
Two Armaguard employees, a 61-year-old North Melbourne man and a 54-year-old Sandringham man, were at the centre’s cinema on Monday, 16 May 1994 to collect the weekend’s takings.
Around 11.40am, they exited the complex carrying three bags filled with cash when they were confronted by a lone male offender wearing a balaclava and carrying a handgun and a cardboard box.
The 54-year-old man was shot in the lower leg. The round struck him in the right ankle before ricocheting into the shoe of the 61-year-old man.
A 40-year-old Doveton man, a good Samaritan, was also shot in the leg causing life altering injuries.
All three men were conveyed to hospital to be treated for gunshot wounds.
Anyone with any further information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Media Unit
141507
Updated