By BRIDGET SCOTT and ANEEKA SIMONIS
TWO Cranbourne men have been arrested and charged in relation to the theft of three luxury cars from a Berwick car yard last month.
On Saturday 21 February, a 22-year-old man was arrested by members of the Casey Crime Investigation Unit over the theft of a car and armed robbery.
He was bailed to appear in Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 13 May.
On Wednesday 25 February, 30-year-old Corey Hayes was arrested in Cranbourne in relation to the incident and several other offences.
He has been remanded to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 11 June.
The charges follow the theft of an Audi wagon, Holden HSV Club Sport and Mercedes sedan from the Berwick car yard on Friday 6 February by three men who drove one of the cars through the windows of the car yard’s empty showroom to make their escape.
The Holden was found hours after the incident and the Audi A7 was found abandoned in Cranbourne on Saturday 7 February.
The $65,000 black Audi was then towed to a secured car yard but thieves broke into the yard and stole the vehicle again.
It was later used in relation to a crime spree which included thefts, burglaries, a police pursuit and an armed robbery in Carrum Downs in the early hours of Wednesday 18 February.
The incident took place hours after the same car was used during two overnight burglaries in Dandenong and Hallam as well as multiple police pursuits in the Casey, Frankston and Greater Dandenong areas.
Police recovered the car which was found destroyed two days later in a Frankston quarry.
It is believed the Mercedes sedan is still missing.
Investigations into the armed robbery, burglaries and thefts are ongoing.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visitwww.crimestoppers.com.au.
