SERIAL car thieves have been charged after they were discovered by police asleep in a stolen vehicle in Newborough on Monday.
Moe police Senior Constable Brett Lewindon said police were patrolling Coach Road when they discovered the stolen Volkswagen station wagon on the side of the road.
The car’s occupants, a 48 year-old man and 19 year-old woman, were arrested.
They have been remanded to appear at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court at a later date.
The man faces 38 charges and the woman 15, including numerous counts of theft of a motor vehicle, possessing proceeds of a crime, criminal damage and negligent driving while pursued by police.
Police said the pair were allegedly linked to four vehicle thefts and nine thefts from motor vehicles, including personal items such as handbags and sunglasses.
The arrest follows the pair’s alleged attempt to collide with a police vehicle while driving a silver Hilux in Newborough on 5 February.
Snr Const Lewindon said in order to evade police, the male driver allegedly drove across a resident’s lawn, damaging a water main and a fence before heading into Ollerton Reserve.
“We’ve had another two calls from owners in Newborough with property damage, particularly to fences which line Ollerton,” he said.
“He made himself an escape route through the reserve. That vehicle was subsequently recovered and dumped down an embankment in the Warragul area.”
Snr Const Lewindon said police wished to find the owners of two children’s bikes, a BMX and a road bike found in the stolen Volkswagen.
Anyone with information should phone Moe Police Station on 5128 1100.
