By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A six-month enforcement operation has begun to put the crush on rampant hooning in the South East, police say.
As part of Operation Achilles, police have disrupted seven “high risk driving events” in Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia in the past month.
Four arrests, four vehicle impounds and 10 defect notices issued as a result.
In a show of the crushing consequences, a 25-year-old man’s Holden Statesman was recently forfeited for possible destruction after he pleaded guilty at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court to conduct endangering serious injury.
The man had driven aggressively, dropped burnouts and fled at a dangerous speed from Macleod Road Carrum on 23 January, according to police.
The driver was remanded, his car seized by police ahead of his 27 July court case.
Inspector Jacqueline Poida, of Victoria Police, said since Achilles began in February, police are reporting a “decrease in hooning activity”.
She reiterated the message that hoon activity was “dangerous and not simply a bit of harmless fun”.
Charges such as reckless conduct endangering persons, careless driving, and improper use of a motor vehicle had been issued, she said.
“While it’s clearly not possible for police to arrest every single participant and spectator on the evening due to the number of people attending these kind of events, we have been successful in disrupting several hooning events, impounding offending vehicles, and arresting and charging some of those involved,” Inspector Poida said.
The operation had involved strong coordinated police responses to hoon activity from Highway Patrol, CIUs, divisional response units and general duties police.
There have been regular proactive patrols of hot spots, and sharing of intelligence by investigators across the state.
If arrests aren’t made on the spot, detectives thoroughly follow up using automatic number-plate recognition data as well as CCTV and other vision.
“My message to those who escape police attention on the night is simple,” Inspector Poida said.
“Whether you were a participant or a spectator, we will have teams of officers and detectives reviewing all available intelligence to identify you, arrest you and charge you.”
