Police Beat with Tom Hayes
Willow Grove drowning
POLICE will prepare a report for the Coroner following the death of a man in Willow Grove on Sunday (March 9).
A man, who is yet to be formally identified at the time of print, was found unresponsive in Blue Rock Lake near Old Tanjil Road at about 1.30pm.
Passers-by performed CPR, but sadly the man died at the scene.
The exact circumstances surrounding the death are yet to be determined but the matter is not believed to be suspicious.
Boat stolen
NEWBOROUGH Yallourn Men’s Shed reported a stolen boat.
It is believed the boat was stolen from the men’s shed at the Yallourn Production Building (old SEC headquarters near Yallourn Power Station) between Wednesday, March 5 and Thursday, March 6.
“The shed was getting it (the boat) ready for use in a program for the disabled and the interested public at large, regrettably, our plans have been shattered,” a shed spokesperson said.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact Moe Police on 03 5128 1100 or phone Newborough Yallourn Men’s Shed Secretary, Michael Fozard on 0418 513 092.
Two-car collision
EMERGENCY services were deployed to Princes Drive, Morwell last Thursday (March 6).
It is believed the female driver of a Mitsubishi Lancer drove into a parked truck, near Vic Roads.
Police, fire service, and ambulance were quick to attend the scene. The female drivers sustained minor injuries.
Man charged
MAJOR Collision Investigation Unit detectives charged a man following a fatal collision that claimed the life of a pedestrian in Wonthaggi on Sunday, March 2.
It is alleged a woman was walking her neighbour’s dog on Campbell Street around 3.45pm when she was struck by a vehicle.
It is alleged the vehicle travelled onto the wrong side of the road, colliding with the pedestrian and dog before driving away from the scene.
The driver returned to the scene a short time later and was arrested.
The pedestrian, a 68-year-old Wonthaggi woman was taken to hospital in a critical condition where she died. The dog also died at the scene.
A 47-year-old Narre Warren North man has been charged with culpable drive. He was remanded and appeared at the Latrobe Magistrates’ Court on Monday, March 3.
Mad March reminder
POLICE are urging motorists to pay extra care and attention on the roads this month, with March considered to be the most dangerous period on Victorian roads.
The warning comes as police launched Operation Arid last Friday (March 7, ending Monday, March 10) – a state-wide road police effort targeting high-risk driving behaviour and non-compliance over the Labour Day long weekend.
While March is traditionally known in Victoria for a full calendar of major events, festivals, sports and entertainment, it is also synonymous with having the highest volume of road trauma in both metropolitan and regional Victoria.
Historically, March has the highest average injury collision volume of any month of the year, almost 10 per cent higher than any other month. Injury collisions in both metropolitan and regional Victoria have peaked in March over a five-year average. Injury collisions where speed was a factor, where a motorcyclist or heavy vehicle was involved, and young drivers were involved also all peaked in March.
In 2024, there was 30 lives lost during March, the second-highest for the year behind November (36), marking it the worst March on record since 2011, where 34 lives were lost. Of the 30 lives lost during last March, more than half were drivers and two-thirds occurred in regional Victoria.
There was 10 lives lost in the state’s east across the Shepparton, Wangaratta, Wodonga, Mitchell, Latrobe, Bass Coast, Baw Baw, and Wellington areas.
It comes as regional fatalities are already up 34 per cent on the same time last year, with 35 lives lost on regional roads compared to 26 at the same time last year. There has been a total 58 lives lost on Victoria’s roads in 2025, higher than 49 at the same time last year. There was four fatalities in the first four days of March.
Police are warning motorists there will be zero tolerance for poor driving and dangerous behaviour, with state and local highway patrols to be highly visible and enforcing across metropolitan and regional roads.
There will be widespread alcohol and drug testing, particularly around major events taking place across the state, with police reminding drivers that they can be tested anywhere, anytime.
Speeding will also be a major focus, with police handing out 2843 speeding offences during last year’s Operation Arid.
New reporting platform
CRIME Stoppers Victoria has launched a new online reporting platform, making it easier for Victorians to share crime information online.
With a new report coming in every five minutes, Crime Stoppers has an essential role in managing vital crime information from the Victorian community.
Accessible through crimestoppersvic.com.au, the new platform simplifies the reporting process with important technological advancements, enabling the community to share information anytime, anywhere.
Crime Stoppers Chief Executive, Stella Smith welcomed the initiative.
“People want to share information to keep the community safe and this new platform helps them do just that,” she said.
“The public are sharing more video footage than ever, from home security systems, smart phones, and dashcams. We can now process this content faster, providing investigators with greater and more timely insights from the public.”
Video footage is often critical in an investigation, with footage supplied to Crime Stoppers by the public assisting with investigations ranging from high-risk road use to homicide. Video footage can help to place individuals in locations where a crime has occurred and assist police to identify perpetrators.
A key feature of the new platform is a focus on the reporting of elder abuse, one of the fastest growing forms of family violence, offering a straightforward way to raise concerns about harm to those vulnerable in the community.
“Our new reporting application makes it easier than ever for people to provide information about a wide range of crimes. Whether it’s a photo, a video, or information, we encourage Victorians to share what they know,” Ms Smith said.
“The option to remain anonymous gives confidence to anyone wanting to report to Crime Stoppers.”
The new reporting application was developed with funding of more than $380,000 from the state government.
Minister for Police, Community Safety and Victims, Anthony Carbines highlighted the value of the initiative.
“The faster information can be shared the faster Victoria Police can take crooks off the streets – that’s why we’re making it more accessible for people to help with investigations in a fast and secure way,” he said.
“With more than 120,000 reports received by Crime Stoppers in the last year, we thank each and every person who is helping to keep our community safe.”
Providing a platform to upload content offers a safe and convenient way for all Victorians to share what they know and contribute to making Victoria safer for everyone.
You can report to Crime Stoppers anonymously.
Visit the Crime Stoppers website at: crimestoppersvic.com.au to share crime information.
