A LENGTHY police investigation culminated with the arrest of a man accused of multiple dangerous driving matters and drug trafficking across Mount Gambier in recent weeks.
Just before 5.30pm on Monday, Mount Gambier patrols spotted a blue Holden Commodore sedan travelling on Heath Street at Mount Gambier.
Police attempted to stop the vehicle, however it took off at speed and drove on the wrong side of the road.
They then attended a Chute Street address at around 9.30am yesterday and located the 27-year-old man believed to be involved in the incident and a number of recent police pursuits.
Describing the offender as a person of interest, police converged on the property following information received from the public and made the arrest.
He was charged with driving dangerously to cause a police pursuit, driving disqualified and giving a false answer as to identity of the driver.
A vehicle was also seized.
A search of his house located hydroponic equipment and a search of his vehicle located 12 grams of methamphetamine, deal bags and scales.
He will be further charged with breach of bail, aggravated driving dangerously to evade police, failing to truly answer and trafficking in a controlled substance.
Limestone Coast Police operations manager Inspector Campbell Hill said it was another good result on the back of more than half a dozen arrests since last Monday.
“This man was a particular person of interest and this is another success story in the operation we have been conducting recently,” Insp Hill said.
“We have been making enquiries around the clock and thanks to information we have received we were able to make the arrest.”
Insp Hill said the community should be reassured by the latest arrest as police continue to try and remove dangerous drivers from the region’s roads.
“We have had a real focus on criminal offending on the road and this is another good result,” he said.
“I think as a result we are starting to see a change in behaviour on the road, but there will always be those who have a sustained effort in dangerous road use and the man we arrested this morning was one of those.”
Highlighting the success of the operation, Insp Hill said the arrests had led to information regarding other criminal activity.
“We are finding about other people’s business who associate with these criminals we’re taking off the road,” he said.
“Unless people want to distance themselves from this criminal behaviour, there is a high chance we will be knocking on your door.”
In addition to yesterday’s arrest, police are also investigating an incident where a man attempted to steal tools from a vehicle in the Conroe Heights area in the early hours of yesterday morning.
“There was a confrontation and police attended, however the suspect had already left the scene, so we are investigating,” Insp Hill said.
“It serves as a good reminder to people to lock your vehicles and park them off the roads where you can because criminals seem to be taking advantage of quieter streets amid the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Limestone Coast Police also yesterday condemned a Naracoorte man’s “insane” decision to conduct burnouts shortly after collecting his car from impound last Wednesday.
At around 1.30pm, police received reports of a green Ford sedan doing burnouts on the new Penola bypass road.
Further enquiries helped police identify the driver, a 22-year-old Naracoorte man who had picked up his car from the Mount Gambier impound yard that day after it had been impounded for similar offences.
Limestone Coast Police officer in charge Superintendent Phil Hoff questioned the smarts of the man who committed the offence.
He described it as a blatant disregard for the safety of other people on the road.
“Some people just do not get it,” Supt Hoff said.
“It is a small group of people who are deliberately flouting the law and putting other people in danger – it is unconscionable conduct.”
People with information relating to dangerous driving on city streets can contact police on 131 444 or Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
