Altona: Bullet ‘self-inflicted’ theory

A man who collapsed at his Laverton home with a bullet wound to the head on Saturday may have shot himself. Hobsons Bay crime investigation unit detectives say the 33-year-old arrived at his Williams Road home and collapsed just before 6am. Paramedics treated him at the scene before taking him to The Alfred hospital, where he remains in a critical but stable condition. A Victoria Police spokeswoman said investigators were unsure where the man received his injury, but investigations “have revealed that the injury suffered by the man may have been self-inflicted”.

Charges over coffin thefts

Police have charged a Geelong man over the theft last month of 17 coffins from a Braybrook warehouse. The 32-year-old was charged with handling stolen goods and bailed to appear at the Geelong Magistrates Court on May1. Seven coffins have been recovered and further arrests are expected.

River search resumes

Police divers returned to the Maribyrnong River on Friday morning to search for more remains belonging to Brendan Bernard. Divers focused Friday’s search near Burton Crescent, Maribyrnong, three weeks after some of the 32-year-old’s dismembered body parts were first found floating in the river. Mr Bernard’s remains were identified after police released an image of a distinctive tattoo inked on a forearm that was found in the river on February 5.