Two men in their 30s arrested over armed Lego theft that ended with toy store employee chasing them through shopping centre
Detectives from Hume Crime Investigation Unit executed multiple search warrants in Werribee on Thursday over an alleged armed robbery at a local toy store.
'It is alleged the men entered a toy store at a shopping centre on Evans Street, armed with a weapon, about 4.30pm on Thursday, 7 August,' Victoria Police said in a statement.
'They allegedly stole items, including Lego worth around $1000.'
Police said a female staff member had confronted the pair before chasing them through the shopping centre.
'A female staff member confronted the offenders as they were about to leave the store, before one of them allegedly threatened her,' Victoria Police said.
'She was not physically injured and attempted to chase them on foot through the shopping centre and car park.'
Search warrants were executed at two properties in Werribee, with Victoria Police arresting two men, aged 34 and 35.
Both men have been charged with armed robbery, theft from shop, assault and bail offences.
They were set to appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
8 hours ago
- News.com.au
Police search for alleged 1974 rapist George Karakis
An elderly woman has waited more than 50 years for justice after being raped in her Melbourne home, as police renew efforts to solve the 'brutal crime'. Victoria Police this week made a public appeal for information about their suspect, 78-year-old George Karakis, who was arrested over the incident but vanished after being granted bail. It is alleged the woman, then 30, was asleep in her Fitzroy home 'when she was awoken and raped and by a stranger' early on July 22, 1974. Mr Karakis, then 27, at the time lived on Gore St, Fitzroy with his wife, sister and brother-in-law. He was arrested nine days after the incident and charged with rape, burglary and indecent assault, before being released on bail on a $1000 surety put up by his wife. But he has now been missing since October 9, 1974, when he failed to appear at Fitzroy Magistrates Court. Now, more than 51 year later, Yarra Crime Investigation Unit Detective Senior Constable Ruby Roberts said police were still intent on bringing him before the courts. 'Our victim survivor is now in her 80s and been forced to live most of her adult life knowing this man has not faced court for the brutal crime he is accused of,' she said. 'This crime changed her life forever and 50 years is a long time to live without the justice we would so dearly like to give her. 'There will absolutely be people out there who know where Karakis fled and may even know where he is now residing.' Little publicity has been made over the mystery of Mr Karakis' whereabouts in the half century since he went missing. Images of Mr Karakis' 1974 mugshot and a computer-generated image of what he could look like today were released on Monday. He was described as being about 162cm tall with brown eyes and had a 2cm scar over his left eyebrow. Police in NSW believed they had located him in Sydney's eastern suburbs in 1990, but he again fled before an arrest warrant could be executed. Mr Karakis, who was born in Turkey in 1947, was previously named among Crime Stoppers' '20 Most Wanted' list as part of its Operation Roam appeal in 2014. Former Crime Stoppers chief executive Sam Hunter said at the time that fugitives crossed state boarders and assumed normal lives. 'They may be your mechanic, your neighbour, or catch the same train as you do each day,' she said. 'They have not just disappeared, the community holds to key to finding out where they are living.' The fresh appeal was shared by Red Heart campaign founder Sherele Moody who hoped the victim could find justice before she dies. 'For 51 years, she's lived in fear and without closure after a man broke into her home as she slept – and raped her,' she wrote. 'The woman he raped is now 81 years old.' Snr Const Roberts said: 'Given the length of time, there is also the possibility he has passed away – we just want to find answers so we can close this chapter in our victim's life'. 'Sometimes the smallest piece of information is all we need to get that breakthrough lead that could result in an arrest.'
Sky News AU
a day ago
- Sky News AU
Two men in their 30s arrested over armed Lego theft that ended with toy store employee chasing them through shopping centre
Two men have been arrested for allegedly stealing Lego after Victoria Police raided their properties in Melbourne's west. Detectives from Hume Crime Investigation Unit executed multiple search warrants in Werribee on Thursday over an alleged armed robbery at a local toy store. 'It is alleged the men entered a toy store at a shopping centre on Evans Street, armed with a weapon, about 4.30pm on Thursday, 7 August,' Victoria Police said in a statement. 'They allegedly stole items, including Lego worth around $1000.' Police said a female staff member had confronted the pair before chasing them through the shopping centre. 'A female staff member confronted the offenders as they were about to leave the store, before one of them allegedly threatened her,' Victoria Police said. 'She was not physically injured and attempted to chase them on foot through the shopping centre and car park.' Search warrants were executed at two properties in Werribee, with Victoria Police arresting two men, aged 34 and 35. Both men have been charged with armed robbery, theft from shop, assault and bail offences. They were set to appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday.
Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
Major crackdown on 30 childcare centres
The federal government has launched compliance action against 30 childcare centres as it moves desperately to ramp up child safety measures in the wake of jarring allegations of widespread failures across the embattled sector. Education Minister Jason Clare, speaking on Friday, said the 30 centres had failed to meet National Quality Standards and he would withdraw funding from them if they did not lift their performance over the next six months. 'We have taken action swiftly under the new legislation to begin rebuilding confidence in a system that parents need to have confidence in,' he said. 'This is not about closing centres down, it's about lifting standards up. 'Over the next six months, these centres will need to lift their game or they will face further consequences including the cutting off of funding.' The centres, which have not been named, now have 48 hours to notify parents of the action. Not meeting quality and safety standards can include failures to provide for play area safety, hygiene, staff training or supervision. The compliance blitz follows the passage of legislation through federal parliament last month giving the government the power to strip funding from centres that fail to meet basic standards. Education Minister Jason Clare has threatened to cut off funding from 30 childcare centres. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Centres can also be stripped of their childcare subsidy approval. Early Childhood Education Minister Jess Walsh said the government would put the 'safety and wellbeing' of children 'first and foremost'. 'Today's action should signal to all early childhood education and care providers that the National Quality Standards are not optional and that all services must be up to scratch,' she said. The country is reeling from multiple allegations of shocking and widespread failures in child safety across the sector. On July 1, Victoria Police announced horrific child sex abuse allegations against child care worker Joshua Dale Brown, alleging he had offended against eight children while working for the Creative Gardens Point Cook centre between October 2021 and February 2024. Mr Brown worked in at least 23 centres across Victoria between January 2017 and May 2025 and he held a valid Working With Children Check (WWCC). Later that month, it was revealed the Australian Federal Police had charged David William James with abusing children at six after-school care centres between 2021 and 2024. Alleged child sex abuser Joshua Brown worked at several centres over between 2017 and 2025. Picture Supplied. Credit: Supplied Dramatic reforms are now expected for the sector. On Friday, state and federal attorney-generals met to discuss how to toughen up safety. Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has promised a 'banned in one, banned in all' system – in which a person banned from holding a WWCC in one state cannot obtain one in another. Under the changes, criminal histories will be updated and shared in real time between jurisdictions and the criteria that determines who is able to obtain a WWCC will be strengthened. 'It is notable that nefarious individuals have been shopping around the working with children check system and exploiting loopholes,' Ms Rowland said. Ms Rowland said the new national system would be operational by the end of the year. Both the Victorian and NSW governments have also pledged to ban personal mobile devices from centres. Major providers, including G8 Education and Affinity, have pledged to install CCTV into their centres.
