By CASEY NEILL
POLICE arrested a 26-year-old Narre Warren man in Dandenong over a string of armed robberies across the region.
Southern Metropolitan Regional Crime Team investigators as part of Operation Cosmas made the arrest on 2 July.
They’ve now charged the man with nine counts of armed robbery and two counts of attempted armed robbery.
The alleged offender has been remanded in custody to appear at the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Monday 11 July.
Police will allege he was involved in armed robberies at a service station on Bechim Drive, Narre Warren, on 7 June; a grocery store on Leonard Avenue, Noble Park, on 18 June; a tobacconist on Clayton Road, Clayton, on 24 June; a service station on Princes Highway, Pakenham, on 27 June; a confectionery store and grocery store on Springvale Road, Springvale, on 27 June; a restaurant on Springvale Road, Springvale, on 28 June; a clothing store on Buckingham Avenue, Springvale, on 29 June; a church supplies store on Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, on 30 June; and a tobacconist on Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, on 30 June.
Victoria Police has escalated its response to aggravated burglaries and carjackings across the state, rolling out Operation Cosmas at the start of May to draw together investigators under the umbrella of Crime Command.
Teams within each region were allocated additional resources to the operation, which will aim to prevent, deter and investigate aggravated burglaries and carjackings.
Day and night patrols are being conducted at high-risk locations to prevent offences taking place.
Since the operation started there have been more than 70 arrests.
