Thieves targeting gyms among nearly 70 caught during Wyndham operation

Four people linked to recent gym burglaries in the Wyndham area were among nearly 70 police caught up with across a local two-night operation.

Police saturated the western suburbs last week as part of Operation Shows, with targeted patrols at key locations.

This approach led to two teenagers being arrested for attempting to follow a patron inside a gym and steal their car keys, and another two were arrested after being located in a car that was stolen from a gym in recent weeks.

68 people were identified and processed by police for a range of offences, including theft of motor vehicle, burglary, and dangerous and unauthorised driving.

11 cars were impounded for a range of driving offences including an unaccompanied learner who was driving an unregistered car without displaying L plates, as well as a number of drivers on suspended or disqualified licences.

Key arrests across the operation include:

• Police tracked a stolen Toyota Corolla to Lookout Way in Tarneit on Wednesday evening around 11.30pm, observing two people exit the car on foot. The car is alleged to have been stolen recently from a local gym, after two males followed a victim inside the gym and stole their car keys without them noticing. The two males aged 16 and 15-years-old were arrested in relation to an alleged string of thefts from gyms and were charged.
  
  

• Officers were conducting patrols outside a gym on Derrimut Road in Tarneit on Wednesday evening just before midnight, when they observed two males loitering outside. Both males were then observed by police to enter the gym behind a patron and loiter near the lockers. Two males aged 14 and 16-years-old were arrested and charged with multiple thefts from gyms and aggravated burglary. They were both remanded in custody.
  
  

• A 24-year-old from Werribee was arrested after police observed a utility being driven at high speeds with no registration plates on Derrimut Road just after midnight on Thursday. Police observed the car travel through a red light and Air Wing commence tracking from above. Officers deployed stop sticks on Morris Road, and the car came to a stop on Evrard Drive. The driver was arrested and charged with careless driving, driving on a suspended licence, unregistered motor vehicle, nil lights operating and disobey red light.

The operation also led to:

• Over 390 vehicles checked and 122 intercepted

• 47 charges laid and 64 penalty notices issued

The operation commenced in 2022, and over 1,300 people have been arrested for nearly 2,400 offences committed across the Wyndham, Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay area.

Police have charged about 350 people with unauthorised driving, impounded over 260 cars and recovered more than 90 stolen cars.

This type of operation and response continues to build intelligence around networked offending and those out conducting criminal activity overnight, particularly in stolen cars.

Operation Shows ran overnight on 6 and 7 May and will continue to run sporadically in the area.

Anyone with information about car thieves is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Quotes attributable to Werribee Police, Senior Sergeant Peter West:

“Operation Shows continues to disrupt, intervene and prevent crimes across Wyndham.

“Not only is the success of this operation measured by the number of people we arrested, it also sends a strong message that we may be out at anytime, combining our resources and swiftly arresting anyone committing these offences.

“You won’t know when Operation Shows is running, so we’d strongly suggest anyone thinking of committing thefts, evading police or driving dangerously in the area to think again.”

Media Unit

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