SA police wrap: Woman arrested after police found a drug lab and a large quantity of fantasy in Fulham
A woman was arrested on Thursday after police discovered a drug lab and a large quantity of fantasy at a Fulham address.
Police & Courts
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Rolling police news for the week starting Monday May 4, 2020.
FRIDAY, MAY 8
DRUG LAB AND FANTASY LOCATED AT FULHAM
A woman has been arrested after police discovered a drug lab and around three litres of fantasy at a Fulham property. Police attended the Fulham address on Thursday acting on information provided by the public.
They located a drug laboratory suspected to manufacture DMT – a powerful hallucinogenic drug. Police say they also located around three litres of liquid they say was fantasy. A 34-year-old Fulham woman was arrested and charged with manufacturing a controlled drug, and trafficking a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug. She was refused bail and appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court today, where she was bailed to appear back in court in October.
MAN ARRESTED FOR STEALING $73K WORTH OF ITEMS FROM BUSINESSES
A man has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than $73,000 worth of goods from various businesses in Adelaide and storing them at a Rosewater grocery store. Police attended the grocery store acting on information form the public, where they located 150 property items suspected of being stolen from various stores in metropolitan Adelaide. Police say the items were not for sale in the store but the man had been attempting to sell them online.
After attending the suspect’s home in Mawson Lakes, police located and seized further items suspected to be stolen.
The stolen property include tools, Wi-Fi routers, security cameras, perfumes, headphones, bluetooth speakers, R.M Williams boots and shavers. A 42-year-old Mawson Lakes man was arrested and charged with theft and unlawful possession. He was granted bail to appear in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court in October.
TWO TEENS ARRESTED FOLLOWING WHYALLA CRIME SPREE
Two teenagers have been arrested and a third reported following a crime spree in Whyalla this week. A man was woken just after 2.30am on Thursday by people in his room at the Sundowner Motel, who stole his mobile phone before leaving. The same people allegedly broke into a van in the motel’s carpark and stole a pair of sunglasses. Hours later on the same night, a retirement village was entered, and four security cameras were stolen.
Police attended a Whyalla Stuart address today and arrested two teenagers and reported a third.
A 13-year-old Whyalla girl was charged with aggravated serious criminal trespass, illegal interference, unlawfully being on a premises, three counts of theft and breach of bail. She appeared in Whyalla Youth Court today.
A 15-year-old Whyalla girl was charged with unlawfully being on a premises and three counts of theft. She has been bailed to appear in the Whyalla Youth Court at a later date.
The third teen, an 11-year-old Whyalla Stuart girl was reported for unlawfully being on premises and theft. She will appear at Whyalla Youth Court at a later date.
All property was recovered and returned to the victims.
THURSDAY, MAY 7
MURDER HUNT ON ITS WAY TO SA?
A member of the notorious the Barbaro crime family is at the centre of a massive murder hunt and could be travelling to South Australia.
Ricardo “Rick” Barbaro, 33, is on the run from police after the body of 26-year-old Ellie Price body was found in a South Melbourne townhouse on Monday.
Investigators believe the mother-of-one was in an on-again, off-again relationship with Barbaro since October 2019.
Detective Inspector Tim Day said Ms Price likely suffered a “violent” assault on April 28 or 29 and may have been dead for days.
They are investigating the possibility he has fled interstate, with South Australian police asked to keep a lookout for him.
FINES ISSUED IN SA FOR BREACHING COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS
Police have fined a licensee and four other people after they were caught drinking a licensed premises on Tuesday. Police said they found the front door open and the licensee and four customers drinking alcohol in the bar area. The customers received $1060 on-the-spot fines while the business was fined $5060.
A 26-year-old woman was also fined for allegedly breaching self-isolation restrictions three times.
Police have issued a number of fines to people flouting COVID-19 social distancing directions, including a woman who was arrested and charged with flouting the restrictions three times.
The 26-year-old woman has been charged with three counts of failing to comply with a direction in Adelaide and has been bailed to appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court in October.
Police also issued 16 fines of $1060 on May 5 at a residence in Port Augusta following a complaints about a large gathering.
DOG PERISHES IN MURRAY BRIDGE HOUSE FIRE
A dog has fallen victim to a house fire in Murray Bridge this afternoon.
Emergency services were called to Roper Rd at around 1pm Thursday after reports of a house fire.
On arrival, firefighters found a fire in a bedroom that had spread other rooms and into the roof space. Crews took one hour to extinguish the blaze.
The occupants of the home had safely evacuated, but a pet dog perished in the fire. Three quarters of the house was damaged in the blaze, and damages are estimated to cost $200,000. Fire cause investigators are on the scene to see what sparked the blaze.
BAROSSA MAN ARRESTED ON CHILD SEX OFFENCES
A 32-year-old Barossa Valley man has been arrested and charged with child sex offences.
Detectives from the Public Protection Branch Special Crimes Investigation Section arrested the man on Wednesday for allegedly making a child amenable to sexual activity, and four counts of failing to comply with reporting obligations.
He was bailed to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court in September.
TEEN ARRESTED AFTER JEWELLERY STORY HEIST
A 15-year-old boy was arrested after allegedly breaking in to a Rundle Mall jewellery store last night.
Alerted by an alarm activation, police tracked the youth via CCTV and he was arrested soon afterwards on Francis St allegedly in possession of items stolen from the store.
The Mile End teenager was charged with serious criminal trespass and theft and bailed to appear in the Adelaide Youth Court on July 17.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6
MAN ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER
A man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder following a domestic violence dispute in Mitchell Park last month. Police were called to a home on Walter Ave following reports of a dispute just before 12pm on April 25. The suspect allegedly stabbed a woman in the stomach and arm with a knife. The 30-year-old victim was transported to Flinders Medical Centre and treated for non life threatening injuries. A 39-year-old Mitchell Park man was arrested without incident and taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital where he was detained under the Mental Health Act. The man was this afternoon arrested and charged with attempted murder. He was refused bail and will appear in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court on Thursday.
FIVE ARRESTED OVER HEROIN RAIDS
More than 200g of heroin has been taken off the streets of Adelaide after police raided three suburban homes this week.
Two people were arrested at a Mansfield Park home on Edie St, where police allegedly found 170g of heroin, a heroin press and more than $38,000 in cash on Sunday.
A 52-year-old woman and a 34-year-old man were both charged with trafficking a controlled drug, possessing prescribed equipment and money laundering.
They were both remanded in police custody to appear in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday.
STAR Group officers then raided two other homes in Mansfield Park, seizing more than 46g of heroin, a gun and “several thousand dollars” in cash on Tuesday morning.
Police charged a 35-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man with trafficking a controlled drug and possessing a class H firearm. They are expected to appear in court today.
Another Mansfield Park woman, 65, was also arrested and charged with trafficking a controller drug.
She will face court at the end of June.
A police spokesman was unable to say if all the arrests were linked.
MAN ARRESTED FOLLOWING STABBING
A man has been arrested over a stabbing near a service station at Port Augusta West on Tuesday.
Police were called to the service station on the Eyre Highway just before 1pm after reports a man had been stabbed in the arm.
The incident occurred on Bond St, police say, before the suspect followed the victim into the service station. He made further threats to the victim before leaving the store.
The victim, a 37-year-old man, had non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the Port Augusta Hospital for treatment. Police say the attack was not random, and the victim and suspect are known to each other.
A 33-year-old Port Augusta West man was arrested and charged with aggravated cause harm. He was refused bail and appeared in Port Augusta Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
DRIVER CAUGHT 7 TIMES OVER THE LIMIT
A man has lost his licence after he was caught driving seven times over the legal blood alcohol limit in Whyalla Stuart on Tuesday.
Police stopped a car travelling on Bastyan Crescent at around 8.30pm Tuesday for a random breath test. The driver, a 54-year-old Whyalla Stuart man, allegedly blew 0.339 – more than seven times the legal blood alcohol limit of 0.05.
He was reported for drink driving, and lost his licence for 12 months. His car was impounded for 28 days and he will appear in the Whyalla Magistrates Court at a later date.
AMA BUILDING DAMAGED IN ARSON ATTACK
An arsonist has caused up to $2 million dollars in damages at the Australian Medical Association building in North Adelaide.
Police say a bin fire was deliberately started in the building’s underground car park on Ward St just after 2am today.
Nearly 40 firefighters rushed to scene and it took them two hours to fully extinguish the fire, as flames spread through the building’s airconditioning system.
An MFS spokeswoman said the damage bill is estimated between $1 million and $2 million.
The bulk of the damage was on the ground level and first floor.
The Australian Medical Association building on Ward St in North Adelaide has been extensively damaged by an arson attack this morning @theTiser pic.twitter.com/4AWGoHheip
— Gabriel Polychronis (@G_Polychronis) May 5, 2020
TWO DRINK DRIVERS LOSE LICENCES
Two drink drivers, including a BMW driver who ended up in a ditch, have lost their licences in McLaren Vale.
Officers spotted a BMW sedan and a Toyota ute speeding on Binney Rd just after 8pm on Tuesday.
The ute driver, a 48-year-old McLaren Flat man, was pulled over and returned an alcohol reading of 0.150.
Police continued to search for the BMW driver, a 21-year-old Whites Valley man, who did not stop for officers.
He was eventually spotted driving through a paddock with hus lights off before coming stuck in a ditch.
Police say he blew 0.107.
The 21-year-old lost his licence for six months, while the 48-year-old lost his licence for 12 months.
Both will appear in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court at a later date.
170g OF HEROIN, $38,000 CASH SEIZED BY POLICE
Two people have been arrested after police found 170 grams of heroin and nearly $40,000 in cash, allegedly inside their Mansfield Park home.
TUESDAY, MAY 5
POLICE SAVE ELDERLY MAN FROM BURNING HOUSE
An elderly man is in a serious condition in hospital after police this morning saved him from a burning house in Glenelg.
Police responded to a call from a 76-year-old man for assistance at a High St property at around 6am. When they arrived they discovered flames coming from the home.
Fire crews arrived and go into the house via a window.
They contained the flames to the kitchen and dining area. The man was transported to the Royal Adelaide Hospital where he remains in a serious condition, suffering smoke inhalation.
Police say the fire was not suspicious.
MOTHER AND CHILDREN SAVED FROM HOUSE FIRE IN PARALOWIE
A mother and her two children are being treated by paramedics with smoke inhalation following a fire that engulfed their house in Paralowie.
Police and fire crews responded to triple-0 calls reporting a fire on Elope Crescent just after 1pm today.
Six fire trucks with 23 firefighters took an hour to extinguish the fire, which caused extensive damage to the $350,000 house.
They will remain at the scene to monitor hot spots this afternoon.
Fire cause investigators are at the scene to determine its cause, which is thought to be accidental.
TWO ARRESTED FOLLOWING AGGRAVATED ROBBERY ON CITY BUS
Two people – including a 16-year-old – have been arrested as suspects over an aggravated robbery on a city bus last week. Two men and the victim got on the 720H bus from Grote St at around 8.10pm on Wednesday April 29. The two men approached the victim and threatened him before stealing an amount of his property. A short time later the two men exited the bus at West Tce. The victim was not injured in the incident. Police yesterday released CCTV in a bid to identify them. Detectives today arrested a 16-year-old Glandore boy and a 21-year-old Mile End boy as suspects involved in the incident and charged them with aggravated robbery.
Both males were further charged with a second aggravated robbery which occurred on Grote St a short time prior to the bus incident where they stole a man’s baseball cap. He was not injured in the incident. The boy was refused police bail to appear in Adelaide Youth Court tomorrow, while the man was bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in July.
MONDAY, MAY 4
MAN HIT BY CAR WHILE ALLEGEDLY FLEEING POLICE
A man is in hospital after being hit by a car while attempting to flee police at Elizabeth North last night.
A patrol tried to pull over a Kia sedan, which was travelling without lights on the wrong side of Main North Rd, about 9.30pm Sunday.
The Kia continued to travel at speed heading north, and crashed into three other vehicles and a light post on Main North Rd.
The Kia ended up in the grass on the median strip, and the driver tried to run across the southern carriageway when he was struck by a red Kia Rio travelling south.
A 23-year-old man from Smithfield Plains was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital with serious injuries. His condition is now stable and non-life threatening.
The driver of the red Kia Rio was not injured, but two other drivers involved in the crash – a 36-year-old woman and a 29-year-old woman were treated in hospital with minor injuries.
Five vehicles were towed from the scene. Major Crash investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the crash.
A speeding driver has been hit by a car while trying to run from police after fleeing officers and crashing into three cars and a light pole at Elizabeth North last night. The 23yo man’s now in hospital, along with two other innocent drivers. @9NewsAdel pic.twitter.com/3KWOjMJmvt
— Kate Lambe (@katelambe_) May 3, 2020
POLICE SEEK SUSPECTS OF AGGRAVATED ROBBERY ON A CITY BUS
Police are seeking more information on an aggravated robbery on city bus, and have released CCTV footage to try to find the suspects.
Two men and the victim got on the 720H bus from Grote St at around 8.10pm on Wednesday.
The two men approached the victim and threatened him before stealing an amount of his property. A short time later the two men exited the bus at West Tce. The victim was not injured in the incident. The first man is described as African appearance, aged between 18-25, average build, facial hair, and was wearing dark shorts and a dark coloured jacket.
The second suspect is also of Africa appearance, aged between 18-25 years old, a slim build, wearing a black puffer jacket, jeans and a baseball bat. Anyone with information on the suspects or incident should contact Crime Stoppers.
POLICE LAUNCH MOBILE PHONE USE WHILE DRIVING BLITZ
Police are today launching a five-day long blitz targeting drivers using their mobile phones in a bid to reduce crashes caused by distracted drivers.
In 2019 there were 46 lives lost in collisions where distraction was a contributing factor, and in 2020, there has already been 24 lives lost due to distraction.
Superintendent Bob Gray said people are relying on their phones more than ever to connect with loved ones they cannot physically visit.
“But your phone call, texts or video chats can wait when you’re behind the wheel,” Superintendent Gray said.
“Drivers are aware of the laws and they are also aware of the risk of being distracted by apps when their eyes should be on the road.
“Crashes can happen in a split second – if your eyes are on your phone, you won’t see changes before it’s too late to take action.
“There’s so much uncertainty going on in the world right now. But one thing that’s certain is that causing a crash or taking a life because you picked up your phone is not the choice you want to make.”
Operation Fatal Distraction began on Monday and will end at the end of Friday.
GIRLS ARRESTED OVER GILLES PLAINS ROBBERY
Two teenage girls were arrested after allegedly assaulting a woman and stealing her purse in Gilles Plains at the weekend.
A woman in her 40s was waiting at a bus stop on Sudholz Rd just before 2.30pm on Saturday when she was approached by a group of teenagers, including five boys and two girls.
The group spoke to the woman for around 10 minutes before allegedly assaulting her and stealing her purse and running off.
Police arrested a 15-year-old Valley View girl and a 14-year-old Elizabeth South girl.
They were charged with aggravated robbery and bailed to appear in the Adelaide Youth Court on July 2.
POLICE SEARCH FOR DRIVER AND PASSENGER
Police are searching for the driver and front passenger of a red VW Golf following a police pursuit in Largs North overnight.
A patrol attempted to pull over the red Golf on Kings Rd at Paralowie, just after 1am this morning, but it refused to stop.
Patrols followed the car onto the North-South Motorway towards Port Adelaide, attempting to stop the vehicle with road spikes near the Birkenhead Bridge.
The passenger of the Golf threw rubbish out the window at the police car during the chase.
The Golf continued to Largs North, where the driver turned the lights off and drove on the wrong side of the road.
The car was then dumped in Critten Ave about 1.20am. Patrols searched the area with the help of PolAir, police dogs and patrols on foot.
Police couldn’t find the female driver and front passenger of the car. However, they found the back-seat male passenger, who was released without charge after questioning.
The red Golf was seized for examination. The search continues for the driver and her male passenger.