It brings to 14 the number of arrests of suspected members of a transnational burglary gang including suspects with links to the Fat Andy Connors network.
It brings to 14 the number of arrests of suspected members of a transnational burglary gang including suspects with links to the Fat Andy Connors network.
This week police in Melbourne arrested for people detectives believe entered Australia earlier this year from the United Kingdom.
They are alleged to have carried out more than 20 burglaries between April and July while posing as tourists living at a caravan park.
Although most of the offences took place while residents were away, they are accused of two home invasions and one aggravated burglary, according to News9 which first reported the arrests.
Police allege the group would use cleaning products to cover their tracks.
Credit: 9News, Australia
In one case, a young woman emerged from the shower to find the intruders demanding that she hand over her valuable jewellery.
“People coming into your private space… it’s extremely traumatic,” Victoria Police Senior Sergeant Daniel Brown.
Police executed five search warrants at properties across Melbourne’s northern suburbs last week in the operation against the alleged burglary gang.
Vehicles valued at more than $190,000 were seized along with designer watches.
In a statement Victoria Police said the seized vehicles include a Ford Ranger, a Kia Carnival, a BMW X5 4WD, a Mercedes saloon, a VW Touareg and a caravan.
The vehicles, along with $7000 in cash, and several designer watches including a Rolex worth over $120,000 are alleged to be the proceeds of crime.
The four men aged between 31 and 33 have been remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on November 6.
A 32-year-old woman who was also arrested and charged with theft was bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on October 28.
“This is a clear message to anyone thinking they can break into homes without repercussions,” Brown said.
“We will continue to target serious and organised crime groups, no matter where they’re from.”
Police stated investigators are continuing to probe whether the group is linked to any other unsolved burglaries and the investigation remains ongoing.
In May it was reported how three Irish men appeared in court after allegedly stealing $1million (€612,000) worth of cash, jewellery and designer handbags during dozens of robberies across Melbourne, Australia.
Victoria Police will allege the men, aged 19, 24 and 25, carried out a spate of “sophisticated residential burglaries” in recent months.
Named in court as Christie McDonagh, Michael McDonagh and James Connors – they are alleged to have broken into homes in Melbourne’s east while residents were not at home and then tried to cover their tracks with cleaning products.
Credit: 9News, Australia
They were arrested at a hotel near Melbourne Airport and charged with multiple counts of aggravated home invasion, aggravated burglary, burglary and theft.
Police allege they are part of a wider syndicate which led to the arrests of three other Irish men in March in Australia
Also arrested last May in Australia was Michael McInerney who arrived in the country in 2022 despite being featured on the UK’s Crimecall TV show the previous year.
McInerney — along with ‘Fat’ Andy Connors’ son Jonathan — is still wanted by Northumbrian Police in connection with a series of raids in which Asian restaurant owners were targeted.
McInerney was one of three men arrested in Melbourne accused of carrying out a spate of burglaries in the city.
Along with Bernard Connors (26) and Edward McDonagh (25), he has been charged in relation to six burglaries, including one aggravated burglary, according to local media reports.
In one raid, more than $23,000 worth of jewellery is alleged to have been stolen and in another a sleeping victim’s bedroom door was kicked in during the two-day spree in April
A judge described the alleged crimes as a “quasi-military exercise” and a deliberate criminal exercise.
