Melton Crime Investigation Unit detectives have laid nearly 100 charges and recovered 14 stolen vehicles as part of an ongoing investigation into a series car thefts across the western suburbs of Melbourne.
The Volume Crime Reduction Team, with detectives from both Melton and Whittlesea CIU, arrested the first of two men on Thursday, October 3.
The 23-year-old Coburg man received 66 charges including multiple counts of theft of motor vehicle, attempted theft of motor vehicle and criminal damage.
He was remanded in custody to appear before Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on October 28.
The second man was arrested following the execution of a search warrant at a property in Melton.
The 26-year-old received 27 charges which also included multiple counts of theft of motor vehicle, attempted theft of motor vehicle, criminal damage and trafficking a drug of dependence.
The Melton man was due to appear before Sunshine Magistrates’ Court last Friday (Oct. 18).
The arrests and charges form part of Operation Memphis an ongoing investigation, since September, into a large-scale theft of and attempted theft of motor vehicle racket.
It is believed on each occasion the alleged offenders targeted Toyota 86’s and Subaru XV vehicles.
Detectives have so far recovered 14 of the 19 vehicles stolen across the northwestern suburbs of Melbourne.
The suburbs include Caroline Springs, Rockbank, Cobblebank, Melton, Sydenham, Kealba, Craigieburn, Reservoir, Epping, Heidelberg, Doncaster, South Yarra, Bundoora, Coburg, Sunshine West, Wollert and Brunswick East.
The investigation remains ongoing.