Police have arrested and charged a 32-year-old Footscray man with a number of offences.
The arrest followed on from a search warrant executed in Footscray on Thursday, March 16.
Police charged the man with possession of firearms and ammunition, drug-related offences and handle stolen goods and he was remanded to appear at court on Monday, March 27.
Police have alleged the man was an associate of a 27-year-old man of no known fixed address, who they have charged with more than 70 offences linked to more than 20 burglaries and car thefts across Melbourne.
Police arrested the 27-year-old man of no known fixed address in Brunswick West on Friday, March 17.
Police said the the man has been scouring unlocked homes in Northcote, Newport, Maribyrnong, South Yarra, Princes Hill and Williamstown since November last year, with the aim of stealing car keys and taking the victims’ cars, often getting in and out of properties without being noticed by residents who were asleep at the time.
Police said the man has stolen more than $500,000 worth of items since November last year, in addition to nine vehicles.
As a result of the investigation, police seized nine allegedly stolen cars, three firearms and ammunition, quantities of drugs including cannabis, cocaine, methyl amphetamine, 1,4 Butanediol, MDMA and Ecstasy, a large quantity of stolen identification documents, 14 laptops and 21 mobile phones.
Police have charged the 27-year-old man with 70 offences, including aggravated burglary, burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, theft from a motor vehicle and handling stolen goods.
He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Saturday, May 13.
