POLICE are hunting for thieves who made off with cigarettes in a late-night theft from Yarra Glen IGA, in a second robbery this month.
About 3.30am on Sunday 28 June, thieves broke into the IGA supermarket on Bell Street in Yarra Glen, making off with a quantity of cigarettes.
The robbery is the second for the supermarket, after a break-in at 4am on Monday 15 June, where a “substantial amount” of cigarettes were stolen, according to Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) Detective Sergeant Mark Smithwick.
The Yarra Glen robbery on 15 June was one of four cigarette robberies that night.
Det Sgt Smithwick said that police were investigating links between Sunday’s incident and those that occurred earlier in the month.
“We’ll be looking to see if they are related,” he said.
Anyone who saw any suspicious behaviour is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Pursuit ends in charges
A CROYDON man has been remanded in custody after being arrested for a string of road incidents that occurred in Coldstream last month.
On Sunday 28 June, Yarra Ranges Highway Patrol officers arrested a 27-year-old Croydon man in relation to a pursuit that occurred on the Maroondah Highway in Coldstream on 21 May.
It is alleged that a silver Holden Commodore was involved in a number of collisions and pursuits with police at 5.10pm on the Thursday afternoon.
The Croydon man has been charged with conduct endangering persons, evading police, driving in a manner dangerous and a number of other traffic offences.
He has been remanded in custody and will appear at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on 14 July.
Urgent calls misplaced
HEALESVILLE police are urging residents not to leave voicemails at local stations about urgent crime matters and to call triple zero for immediate help.
Healesville police Leading Senior Constable (LSC) Chris Hickey told the Mail that local police often received messages on the station voicemail about urgent matters.
He said residents should always call triple zero to receive police assistance.
“Don’t ring the station unless you want to have a chat with an officer,” he said.
“If you want police attendance, or you want to report something, call triple zero please.
“We mightn’t be back at the station for three hours, and we check the answering machine and there’s quite an important call.”
Chainsaw theft: witnesses
POLICE are investigating the theft of a chainsaw from a Coldstream property, and are seeking assistance by requesting suspicious activity be reported.
Between 29 May and 24 June, police believe someone entered a three-car garage on a Killara Road property, stealing a chainsaw worth $2200.
Anyone who saw any suspicious behaviour is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Home assault witnesses wanted
POLICE are asking for witnesses to come forward after a Lilydale man was assaulted in his home earlier this month.
Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) Detective Sergeant Mark Smithwick said that on 20 June at 1.30pm, the victim was at home in Taylors Road, Lilydale, when they heard a noise at their door.
He said the man was confronted by three men of Maori appearance, who stepped into his home and assaulted him, leaving him with multiple cuts and grazes.
Anyone who may have witnessed the assault is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or to submit a confidential crime report to www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
