POLICE are calling on witnesses to come forward, after a burglary from an East Warburton property last week, if the stolen item rings any bells.
Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) Detective Sergeant Pat Barrow said between 5pm on 15 November and 7.30pm on 20 November, unknown persons broke into a semi-rural property on Hazelwood Road, Warburton East.
The burglars cut a padlock on the front gate of the property, which is used by the Hungarian Scout Association, and stole a 350 kilogram brass bell.
The bell had inscriptions on its surface, and Det Sgt Barrow described it as “very large”.
Anyone with information on the burglary, who saw any suspicious activity or who may have spotted a large brass bell, is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or to file a confidential crime report on www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Tennis courts trashed
WARBURTON police are looking over video footage as part of their investigation into criminal damage at the Gladysdale tennis courts on Friday 20 November.
A local resident provided footage of the incident which happened around 10pm.
Police said four 4WD vehicles were parked next to the tennis courts and decided to push over the fence with their bullbars causing significant damage.
Senior Constable Don Trice said police were keen to catch the perpetrators.
“To damage a local tennis court like this is pretty disappointing,” he said.
“It’s money and effort that I assume people now have to give up their time and effort to fix.”
Anyone with information can contact Leading Senior Constable Kevin Bishop at Warburton police station on 5966 2006 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Wanted man nabbed
A WANTED man has been remanded in custody after being spotted by an off-duty police officer in Lilydale last week, and is expected to face court for multiple burglary charges.
Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) Detective Sergeant Pat Barrow said on Thursday 26 November, an off-duty officer spotted a car travelling along the Maroondah Highway in Lilydale, with the driver a burglary suspect being sought by police.
Det Sgt Barrow said other police units attended and arrested the 38-year-old man, who had “a number” of outstanding warrants for burglaries.
The man, of no fixed place of abode, was charged, remanded in custody and presented at court on Friday 27 November.
Maroondah CIU Senior Constable Rosemary Young said the man was wanted “all over Melbourne”, for outstanding warrants and dishonesty offences, among other charges.
He was then further remanded in custody to appear in court at a later date.
Spectacle Site hit again
A HEALESVILLE optometrist is out of pocket thousands of dollars after being burgled for the second time in just over a month, with police asking witnesses to come forward.
Police believe that between noon on Saturday 21 November and 8.30am on Monday 23 November, unknown people forced open a window in an alleyway beside the Spectacle Site on Maroondah Highway in Healesville.
Spectacle Site CEO Brian Tridgell told the Mail in the store on Tuesday morning that Maui Jim and Bill Bass sunglasses with a total retail value of $13,000 were stolen from cabinets in the theft, along with some chains.
He said a security service patrol at 5.05am on Monday 23 November, came back all-clear, so the burglary may have occurred between then and 8.30am, when staff arrived to work.
He said the burglary was the second in just over a month, with a break-in on the weekend of Saturday 17 November, when the front door was jemmied open.
After stepping up security on the doors at the business, Mr Tridgell said more measures would be put in place, including alarm systems, CCTV cameras and bars on the windows.
Police attended the store on Monday to collect evidence, and Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) Detective Sergeant Pat Barrow said the incident was being followed up.
He asked anyone who may have seen suspicious activity around the shop, or who has been approached about buying new, good-quality sunglasses, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or to submit a confidential crime report to www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Scrub fire witnesses wanted
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a scrub fire was lit on a vacant block in Healesville last week.
Emergency services were called out to the block on Donnelley’s Weir Road in Healesville for the fire at about 11.30pm on Thursday, 26 November.
There was no damage to nearby properties and no injuries in the incident, and police are calling on anyone who has information to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or to file a confidential crime report to www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
