Roof runner nailed: How police are fighting back against crime

BASS Coast police have continued their fightback against a crime wave that has gripped Bass Coast and parts of South Gippsland in recent months with the latest arrest coming on Sunday morning, May 24, in bizarre circumstances.

According to Wonthaggi Police Sergeant Tim Ryan, a 21-year-old local man was arrested in a police operation at a residential address in McKenzie Street Wonthaggi after a tense roof-top standoff.

“Police have gone to a block of units in McKenzie Street, at about 8am, in relation to some outstanding warrants, where they’ve spoken to seven occupants of the dwelling,” said Sergeant Ryan.

“While they were there, an eighth person has come out of his hiding place, and in an effort to evade capture, he’s attempted to flee the scene by climbing out of a back window.

“Unfortunately for him, he has been seen by police and rather than accepting his fate, he’s clambered up on to a back shed and then on to the roof of the dwelling.

“He’s then run up and down across multiple roofs, until he’s found the gap between the roofs too much to jump across, and there’s been something of a standoff as the area was surrounded by police, preventing any escape,” he said.

Patrol officers from the Wonthaggi and San Remo police stations were joined by Bass Coast Highway Patrol, Bass Coast Crime Investigation Unit and Bass Coast Crime Scene Services police, who also called in the Wonthaggi CFA Fire and Hazmat Unit, which put its specialist equipment at the disposal of police.

Ultimately, however, with police surrounding the property, the alleged offender was talked down and immediately taken into custody, ending the half-hour ordeal.

Wanted in relation to five warrants, including failing to appear in connection with car thefts, the alleged offender was confined to the cells awaiting his fate.

He is expected to appear in court on Monday.

Police published their appreciation to the community online over the weekend, for information leading to the man’s arrest, after posting his photo some weeks ago on the Bass Coast Police Service Area ‘Eyewatch’ page.

In turn, police have also been praised for their efforts:

• Well done to our local police.
• Awesome, thank you for a job well done!
• Thank you to our police for continuing to keep our people safe. I hope the court deals with them properly and not let them out on bail again. The justice system is disgraceful.
  But also, there’s been some typical fodder from Facebook:
• What a waste of the fire brigade’s time and taxpayers’ money. Just send a dog up and share the footage. Far more entertaining too!
• Was he arrested for that haircut and those women’s leggings.
  Police have thanked residents in the vicinity of McKenzie Street for their patience while the standoff was in progress.

“Your local police would also like to thank the residents in the area who were disturbed by this incident for their tolerance and assistance, and also the many associates of the male who encouraged him to surrender himself when perched atop the roof.”

A 33-year-old Wonthaggi man, who was also present at the residential unit in McKenzie Street on Sunday, was interviewed in regard to breaching a court order.

The roof-top standoff incident follows another arrest at the same address in McKenzie Street last Thursday, May 21, when Bass Coast Police, including patrol officers, crime investigation personnel and highway patrol officers, with the assistance of the dog squad, executed a search warrant looking for illicit drugs.

The search, using a drug detection dog, uncovered multiple amounts of methylamphetamine and cannabis and also a stolen wheelchair which has since been returned to the local hospital.

They charged a 32-year-old Wonthaggi man and a 35-year-old Wonthaggi woman with possession of methylamphetamine and cannabis, the male for committing an indictable offence while on bail.

McKenzie Street has been something of a hot spot in recent days with police finding more illicit drugs in the street last Saturday morning when they intercepted a Nissan Navara ute there at about 2am, arresting a 33-year-old Wonthaggi man on possession of methamphetamine and cannabis charges.

The male was also allegedly in breach of a court order, and has allegedly been contravening the conditions of his bail.

He was however bailed to appear at the Korumburra Magistrates’ Court on July 30, 2026.

Police posted details of these operations online, noting that the arrests show they remain committed to taking action against any persons involved with drugs.

The latest arrests follow some high-profile incidents of car theft involving high-speed driving, ram-raiding, burglaries and events which have terrified members of the local community in their homes and on local roads and highways.

Police believe they have caught up with at least some of the perpetrators of these incidents when, on Friday, May 15, in the early hours of the morning, they seized what they referred to as “a very poorly spray-painted black coloured Ford Falcon sedan”, formerly sky blue in colour, in Riflebutts Road, Korumburra.

As a result, on Saturday, May 16, at about 1am, they arrested and charged a 20-year-old male from Wonthaggi and a 17-year-old female from the South Gippsland area with multiple offences, again “at a residential address in McKenzie Street, Wonthaggi”.

They charged the male with a long list of offences including driving in a manner dangerous, failing to stop on police direction, exceeding the speed limit, driving without the rear L-plate displayed and driving without supervision.

He was remanded in custody in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on the following Monday.

The female was charged with multiple shop stealing and handling offences, and also with driving an unregistered car, with false plates and without a supervising driver.

She was bailed to appear at a later date in the Korumburra Children’s Court.

Police again posted their apologies to the local community.

“Your local police are aware that many local people and businesses were allegedly targeted by these offenders, and that many people in the community have been put at risk by the blatantly reckless driving that this vehicle was involved in, and that we are all lucky that no person was killed on our roads because of these actions,” said a spokesman for the Bass Coast police.

They said that a significant amount of investigation was undertaken by police in regard to this offending and that they appreciate the amount of information supplied by the local community about the offenders.

“Investigations are still ongoing in regard to a large amount of other related offending,” they say.

Police also quickly caught up with the 19-year-old Dumbalk man who allegedly smashed his way into the Meeniyan IGA Supermarket on Sunday, May 17 stealing $200 worth of packaged liquor.

If you have any information regarding wanted people, or any other criminal activity, please contact Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000 or at: https://www.crimestoppersvic.com.au/report-a-crime/ Information can be provided anonymously.