Seven charged over aggravated burglaries; one in Kensington

Seven people have been charged following a string of aggravated burglaries across multiple suburbs including Kensington.

Victoria Police Maribyrnong Crime Investigation Unit and Port Phillip Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating seven incidents that took place between August 22 and 28.

One incident involved two males allegedly entering a property on Speakman St, Kensington, where they allegedly stole car keys and bank cards, which were used to make fraudulent transactions across Melbourne.

In nearby Maribyrnong, police allege four offenders attended a Hillside property where car keys for a Mercedes Benz were stolen. They drove off in the car, in which they also allegedly stole the victim’s wallet, bank cards, and horse racing equipment.

In another incident, police said four offenders forced open a garage door on Woodruff Ave, Maribyrnong, and stole two sets of car keys.

“Two of the offenders fled the scene in a Kia Carnival, stolen from the address. The other two offenders fled the scene on foot and were arrested by police,” a police spokesperson said.

The crime spree also saw a Jeep Wrangler stolen in St Kilda as well as car keys, a laptop and bank cards allegedly stolen from a property in St Kilda West.

Additionally, thieves targeted properties in Brighton and Altona North where bank cards were allegedly stolen and used in a series of fraudulent transactions.

Of all the incidents, police recovered two of the stolen vehicles.

Police have charged five men and two women aged from 24 to 34 – four of whom are from South Australia, and one man from from NSW – with a string of offences including aggravated burglary, theft of motor vehicle, theft, obtaining property by deception and handling stolen goods, among others.

They were all remanded to appear at court except for a 31-year-old man who was bailed to appear at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on November 10.

Meanwhile, in a separate matter, police arrested a man in Kensington after two people were allegedly stabbed during an incident in Ascot Vale on August 8.

The victims were a 46-year-old man from Moonee Ponds and a 60-year-old woman from Ascot Vale. They were both taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

The male victim has since been released and the woman remained in hospital.

“It’s alleged an altercation occurred between three people, known to one another, outside a property on Churchill Ave about 6pm,” a police spokesperson said.

Police said a 56-year-old Ascot Vale man was arrested over the alleged stabbing on August 9 during a police intercept in Kensington Rd, Kensington, at about 2 pm.

A witness told 3AW he saw a driver hit a tree after trying to escape police. He said a police helicopter had circled overhead and a man was put in the back of an ambulance.

Moonee Valley Crime Investigation Unit detectives have charged the man with false imprisonment, two counts of intentionally causing injury, two counts of reckless conduct endangering serious injuries, two counts of assault with a weapon, making a threat to kill and failing to stop on police request. •