Teen faces 37 charges over alleged Ballarat vehicle theft spree

A 15-year-old boy has been charged with 37 offences following an investigation by Ballarat police into a series of alleged vehicle thefts and thefts from cars across the region.

Police first encountered the teen about 11.10pm on Saturday, 13 June, after receiving reports of a vehicle stopped in the middle of Kennedys Road at Miners Rest.

Officers located an allegedly stolen Volkswagen Touareg at the scene. The vehicle had allegedly been stolen from Lucas the previous day.

Police allege the driver fled when officers arrived, travelling towards Gillies Street in Lake Wendouree where stop sticks were successfully deployed.

The vehicle continued for a short distance before stopping. Police allege the driver then ran into a nearby educational facility, where he was arrested.

Investigators allegedly located $4,200 on the teenager and recovered a range of items from the vehicle, including mobile phones, cash, drug paraphernalia and property believed to be linked to multiple thefts from cars in the Ballarat area.

A subsequent search warrant at the boy’s address allegedly uncovered 40 stolen bank and identification cards, three stolen registration plates, quantities of methylamphetamine and cannabis, and a range of other stolen items including a passport, mobile phone, keys and a handbag.

Further investigations allegedly linked the teenager to eight additional vehicle thefts across Ballarat suburbs between March 17 and June 13.

Among those incidents was the alleged theft of a Kia Sportage valued at about $55,000 from a Clarendon address on June 7.

The teenager was charged with offences including nine counts of car theft, four counts of theft from a motor vehicle, five counts of attempted theft from a motor vehicle, four counts of theft, dangerous driving while being pursued by police and failing to stop on police direction.

He was remanded to appear before a children’s court at a later date.

Police also arrested two men, aged 23 and 37, at the same address. Both were charged with handling stolen goods and drug possession offences.

The arrests form part of the Ballarat Divisional Crime Investigation Team’s ongoing operation targeting rising vehicle thefts. Since the dedicated taskforce was established in late March, police say more than 70 alleged offenders have been arrested, 160 charges have been laid and 270 stolen vehicles recovered.