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BRIMBANK • HOBSONS BAY • HUME • MARIBYRNONG • MELTON • MERRI-BEK • MOONEE VALLEY • MOORABOOL • WYNDHAM Local and Independent. Not associated with any other publication in this area.
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Incorporating the Coburg Courier, Moreland Courier, Brunswick Sentinel, Hume Observer, Moonee Valley Gazette, Essendon Gazette, Brimbank Messenger, Keilor Messenger, Sunbury Regional News, Merri-bek, Merri-bek Local Paper, Merri-bek News and Merri-bek Courier.
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024
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● Melanie McNamara
■ Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate Mellanie McNamara. The 50-year-old is wanted on warrant in relation to deception and bail related offences. McNamara is Caucasian in appearance, 160cm tall, with a thin build and brown hair. She is known to frequent the Sunbury area. Investigators have released an image of McNamara in the hope someone may be able to provide information on his current whereabouts. ★ Hobsons Bay Crime Investigation Unit detectives have charged a man after an alleged suspicious fire in Williamstown. It is alleged the man lit a pile of rubbish on fire at a tennis club on Melbourne Rd about 2.50am on January 24. Investigators believe the fire spread to nearby grass, before spreading to a portable structure and causing considerable damage. There were no injuries A 41-year-old Williamstown man was charged with criminal damage by fire (arson) and committing an indictable offence on bail.
LOCAL ARRESTS OVER TOBACCO STORE FIRES
■ Police have charged two men and seized four guns and a significant amount of illicit tobacco as part of an investigation by Taskforce Lunar into a series of suspicious fires connected to the current illicit tobacco dispute. Warrants were executed on Tuesday last week -Jan. 30) by the Lunar and VIPER taskforces at four properties in Epping (2), Campbellfield and Thomastown. A 25-year-old Epping man, 40-year-old Campbellfield man and a 48-year-old Thomastown man were arrested and subsequently interviewed by police. The Epping man has been charged with arson (x4) and extortion while the Thomastown man has been charged with possess carry or use unregistered long arm, non prohibited person possess handgun without a licence, possession of traffickable quantity of firearms and handle stolen goods. Both were remanded in custody and to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. The Campbellfield man was released pending further enquiries. Police seized the following from the Campbellfield address: ■ 615kg of loose tobacco valued at approximately $800,000; ■ Almost 725,000 cigarettes with an excise value of $750,000; and ■ 1068 vapes valued at approximately $30,000. From the Thomastown property, Police seized four firearms including two rifles, a handgun and an imitation longarm, as well as a range of ammunition. The investigation remains ongoing. Detectives will allege the Epping man was responsible for commissioning a number of arson attacks on businesses last year, including:
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0422 108 512 Also Towing Service Available LMCT 10268W ■ A fire at a tobacco store in Glenroy on October 9; ■ Two fires at the same Docklands restaurant on November 18 and 20; and ■ A fire at a reception centre in Tullamarine on December 8. He has also been charged in relation to a threat against a tobacco store owner in Glenroy on September 24. The man was interviewed in relation to a fire at a Williamstown North business on October 5 and a fire at a Docklands restaurant on December 8, however has not been charged in relation to those matters at this time. Taskforce Lunar currently has 31 active arson investigations, which include tobacco stores, vehicles, gyms, restaurants and private addresses. A significant investigation into the series is underway with Taskforce Lunar drawing on a range of specialised resources from the Gang Crime Squad, Arson and Explosives Squad, Echo Taskforce, VIPER Taskforce, Criminal Proceeds Squad and Financial Crime Squad. The taskforce is also working closely with regional police, as well as a range of external agencies such as the ABF, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Australian Federal Police and Australian Taxation Office.
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