Coronavirus Victoria: Melbourne’s worst COVID-iots in the eastern suburbs
While most of us have followed the rules during Melbourne’s lockdown, others have blatantly breached restrictions. From birthday parties and haircuts to cigarette runs, here are the worst excuses dished up in the east.
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The threat of a $1652 fine wasn’t enough to stop some COVID-iots in the east breaching lockdown restrictions.
From a couple not wearing masks who told police they didn’t believe the virus was serious, to a man who breached curfew to feed his uncle’s horses at 3.40am, here are some of the worst COVID-iots of the east.
NOWHERE TO HIDE
Nine fines were dished out after police uncovered a social gathering in Whitehorse on October 6, where none of the attendees were wearing masks. A number of people at the gathering also attempted to hide from police including two women in a walk-in wardrobe and a man who was hiding under a table in the bathroom.
PARTY’S OVER
Five people celebrating their friend’s graduation at a Box Hill house were fined by police on July 14. When asked by police for their reason for being there, they said they were celebrating their friend’s graduation.
CELEBRATION SOURED
A group of partygoers had their fun shutdown and copped a hefty fine when police were called to a Montrose house after receiving reports of people breaking lockdown laws.
Victoria Police said 10 people were at the home with multiple cars coming and going.
Croydon divisional tasking unit Acting Senior Sergeant Elliott McGibbony said police were called to the house about 9.45am on Sunday April 12 after receiving reports from neighbours of people coming and going from the property.
Sen-Sgt McGibbony said a child was among five people discovered at the house when
police got there.
Not only that, the homeowner was also charged with drug offences.
Three people discovered at the house who couldn’t provide a valid reason for being there other than to attend the birthday party were issued with on-the-spot fines of $1652 each.
UNMASKED
A man who was spotted walking down the street in Stonnington on September 26 without a mask initially refused to stop for police before saying he had 40 masks in the car. He then said he was eating and wasn’t carrying a mask because it was too heavy.
‘NOT THAT SERIOUS’
A man and woman were seen without face coverings while at Lysterfield Lake Park with children on August 19. After speaking with police, they said they had travelled from Keysborough to go for a walk. When speaking to police, it was clear they were deliberately breaching the lockdown rules because they didn’t think the virus was that serious. They were both fined for breaching the stay-at-home directions. A man who lives in Truganina and was found in Box Hill on August 14 was also fined. He believed COVID-19 was a conspiracy and said that he was targeted by police.
CIGARETTE TRIP ENDS BADLY
A woman who travelled from Richmond to Prahran on September 19 to buy cigarette papers ending up paying for a lot more after she was fined for breaking lockdown restrictions.
HORSE PLAY
A man was fined for breaching curfew after he told officers he was going to feed his uncle’s horses when police spotted him travelling at 3.40am on August 6 in Maroondah.
PARK TRIP TURNS SOUR
Police intercepted a male driver at a vehicle checkpoint near Frankston on September 20. He had travelled from Doncaster, saying that there aren’t any nice parks in his area and he wanted to go to one because of the nice weather.
WRONG-FOOTED
An Endeavour Hills man received a fine after police found him in Prahran on September 15. He told officers he had travelled to buy shoes.
EXPENSIVE TRIP
Six men each received a fine after they were seen walking together in Stonnington on September 15. They said they just felt like going for a walk.
TIRED EXCUSE
Two men from Craigieburn in a taxi intercepted at a vehicle checkpoint in the Yarra Ranges on September 10 were fined, after one of them said he was out to buy tyres, while the other was travelling to Gruyere to purchase a vintage car.
OFF TO THE SHOPS
A Doncaster East man on a train heading to Flinders Street station from Mooroolbark on September 2 was fined after telling police he was meeting friends to go shopping. A man sitting at a bus stop at Glen Waverley railway station on August 31, breaking curfew, was also fined. He said he was out shopping and then went to a friend’s place.
GAME OVER
Two men and a woman were found at a home in Boroondara on August 28 after the resident invited friends around for drinks to watch the football. The resident attempted to hide the visitors letting them try and flee over a back fence. One of the men was found hiding in bushes.
BAD HAIR DAY
Two men were found in Boroondara, more than 5km from their homes, without a permitted reason on September 30. They explained they were going to their friend’s house to have a haircut.
CIGARETTE RUN
A man was seen driving in a carpark during curfew in Knoxfield on August 19. He said he had driven from Mount Waverley to take his uncle to buy cigarettes and refill a gas bottle.
MORE NEWS: MELBOURNE’S WORST COVID-IOTS IN THE WESTERN SUBURBS