Melbourne north crime: Lalor man charged with child abuse offences
A Lalor man has been charged with child abuse offences after allegedly recording explicit conversations with children, while a suspicious blaze destroyed an abandoned house in Fawkner. See the latest crimes making news in Melbourne’s north and northwest.
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A Lalor man has been charged with child abuse offences after allegedly using live video chat to record explicit conversations with children.
The 23-year-old was arrested on January 24 after police raided his home in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
Investigators from the Victorian Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team – a partnership between the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police – seized electronic devices and a preliminary examination allegedly uncovered stored child abuse material.
The man has been charged with using a carriage service to groom a person under 16 years of age, using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material and possession of child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service.
He was bailed to face the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
PRESTON
Police are searching for a man after cash was stolen from the front desk of a business in Preston on January 23. Police have released an image of a man they wish to speak to regarding the incident. He is described as caucasian, of a stocky build and was wearing a grey cap with sunglasses on his head, a grey shirt with ‘GRANDROYAL’ written on it, dark shorts and slides. Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers or Preston police station on 9479 6111.
KINGS PARK
Police have arrested eight people following a spate of thefts from motor vehicles in Kings Park and Albanvale. Officers received a number of calls from victims reporting their cars had been broken into about 1am on February 2. While police were investigating they were told a credit card stolen from one of the vehicles had just been used at a service station and take away food outlet in Kings Rd, Kings Park. Police quickly went to the take away food store and arrested eight males nearby, ranging in age from 14-22. Senior Constable Adam West said police found items from the recent car break-ins on the males. They are expected to be charged with theft from motor vehicle and weapons charges. The investigation remains ongoing.
FAWKNER
An abandoned house went up in flames in Fawkner on February 1. A passer-by noticed flames coming from the single-storey weatherboard house on Williams St just after 6.30pm and called triple-0. Firefighters arrived within minutes and found the fire at the rear of the property. An MFB spokesman said the fire moved quickly and caused damage to a bedroom area and the roof. “Crews were able to protect surrounding structures and the fire was declared under control within 20 minutes,” they said. Firefighters conducted a search of the property to ensure no one was inside but it’s believed the house was abandoned. The fire has been deemed suspicious and police are investigating.
CARLTON
A Carlton restaurant has been damaged after commercial stoves caught fire on February 1. Firefighters were called to the Grattan St eatery just after 11am and were met with smoke coming from a large flue on the roof of the building. Crews, wearing breathing apparatus for protection against the smoke, entered the building and located the fire in the commercial stoves of the restaurant. The blaze was declared under control in less than 30 minutes. No injuries were reported. A health inspector was also asked to inspect the restaurant.
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TAYLORS LAKES
About 30 firefighters have quickly brought a garage fire under control in Taylors Lakes on February 1. Fire crews were called to reports of smoke issuing from Mara Ct just after 2.30am where the garage was attached to a double-storey house. An MFB spokesman said the first firefighters on the scene were met with a significant amount of smoke and flames and requested additional resources. Two people self-evacuated before firefighters arrived and no injuries were reported. The blaze was brought under control within 20 minutes. The cause is yet to be determined and police are investigating.