East Gippsland Crime Investigation Unit detectives have arrested and charged four people following an investigation into a series of burglaries, thefts and deceptions throughout East Gippsland.
Operation Stout, which ran for six months targeting burglaries and thefts in remote rural locations, concluded yesterday following the arrests and execution of two search warrants in Club Terrace and East Bairnsdale.
Three people were arrested at the Combienbar Road property before an extensive search uncovered drugs, firearms, a motor vehicle, motorcycle, power tools, heavy duty specialised batteries and a ride on lawn mower suspected to be stolen.
A 30-year-old man has been charged with burglary, theft of motor vehicles (x2), obtaining property be deception (x10), handle stolen goods, possess cannabis, possess methylamphetamines, theft, prohibited person possess firearm, possess traffickable quantity of unregistered firearms, unlicensed driving and fail to store firearms securely.
The Club Terrace man appeared before Bairnsdale Magistrates’ Court today and was further remanded to 24 August 2022.
A 63-year-old man from the same property was charged with possess cannabis, possess unregistered firearms (x4), possess traffickable quantity of unregistered firearms, fail to store firearms in a secure manner, possess ammunition without licence and possess cannabis.
He was bailed to appear before Orbost Magistrates’ Court on 24 November 2022.
A 61-year-old woman was charged with possess cannabis and possess MDMA. She was bailed to appear before Orbost Magistrates’ Court on 24 November 2022
The subsequent warrant was executed in Humphrey Street where a 43-year-old man was also arrested.
The East Bairnsdale man has been charged with handle stolen goods, possess cannabis, possess methylamphetamine and possess ammunition without holding a firearms licence.
He was bailed to appear before Bairnsdale Magistrates’ Court on 15 February 2023.
East Gippsland detectives were assisted by officers from the local highway patrol, frontline members, the Critical Incident Response Team, Dog Squad and the Air Wing.
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