Gunman receiving treatment
A 25-year-old Altona Meadows man who walked the streets with a shotgun on Sunday night is receiving psychiatric treatment. Police negotiators were called after the man was seen walking around with a firearm near Altona Green Primary School about 7.30pm. Hobsons Bay police’s Inspector Richard Paterson said the man was threatening self-harm. “Police negotiated and he was taken in to custody and taken to hospital.” The man had a firearms licence for his gun.
Bashing accused in custody
A man has been charged following an attack on a taxi driver at a service station in Spotswood. Stewart Siwek, 37, faces eight charges, including engaging in conduct that put a person in danger of death, following his arrest at his Spotswood home on Sunday night. Mr Siwek is accused of punching and kicking a 35-year-old taxi driver while the cabbie was filling up his car at a service station in Melbourne Road early on Sunday morning. The driver was knocked unconscious and taken to hospital in a stable condition.
Mr Siwek has been remanded in custody to return to the Melbourne Magistrates Court on June 17.
Arson suspected
Police are investigating three fires believed to have been deliberately lit in Braybrook and Footscray. A vacant house in Balmoral Street, Braybrook, was set alight about 2am on Tuesday, three hours after a house for sale in Ballarat Road, Footscray, went up in flames. Maribyrnong detectives are also investigating a suspicious fire at a unit in Empire Street, Footscray, on Friday night. Firefighters were called to the apartment block about 9.30. Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000
Bros club on notice
The Bros motorbike club in Yarraville has been slapped with an anti-fortification notice that demands the removal of a range of heavy security measures from its clubhouse. Echo taskforce detectives nailed the anti-fortification notice to the wall of the Bros Campbell Street club about 11.30am last Thursday. The Bros have been ordered to remove steel bollards, doors and bars, strengthened glass, locks, CCTV cameras and a video intercom system by July 10.
The order has been issued because police say there are “reasonable grounds” to believe the clubhouse has been or is likely to be used for or, in connection to, a crime or to conceal evidence.