Police to crack down on drivers trying to flee Melbourne

Police have issued a warning to drivers looking to flee Melbourne this weekend, revealing the lengths they will go to patrol roads out of the city.

Police have warned they will crack down on Covid rule breakers over the weekend across the state.

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent said there was a “risk” some Melburnians will flock to the regions, defying CHO restrictions.

He warned 450 officers were dedicated to enforcing health restrictions, despite the abolition of the ring of steel.

“We commenced an operation at midnight where police are patrolling the main arterials out of Melbourne, as well as the back roads,” Mr Nugent said.

“They will be using automatic number plate recognition systems to assist them in identifying vehicles from Melbourne in the regional areas.

“We will also have a heavy presence on the back roads heading out of Melbourne.”

Some 450 officers will be enforcing restrictions this weekend. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Officers involved come from the regional command, the transit and public safety command and the road policing unit.

Police will also use booze buses to intercept drivers over the next week.

Since midnight on Thursday, the operation had checked more than 400 cars, only finding one vehicle that was in breach of the law.

A 27-year-old Little River man was intercepted by police in Geelong after visiting friends and was slapped with a $1652 fine for being more than 10km from his home.

A subsequent breath test found the man was more than four times over the legal limit, when he returned an alleged reading of .266.

Mr Nugent has pleaded with the Victorian public to do the right thing and not flock to tourist hot spots.

“We don’t want to issue a single fine,” he said.

“My message is please don’t bother (trying to flout the law). We have an enormous amount of police dedicated to this operation to ensure people do comply with the CHO directions. You are putting people at risk.”

Mr Nugent defended the government’s decision in not erecting a ring of steel this lockdown between metro Melbourne and the state’s regions.

“I am comfortable with this decision,” he said.

“We are able to spread our resources further to provide a deterrent.

“They will be checking people leaving as well as coming back. If someone is on their way back visiting Daylesford, and they weren’t checked on the way there – they’ll be checked coming back.”