Coronavirus Melbourne: Yarra Valley police called out to 35 bikies at Lilydale funeral
More than 35 bikies have swarmed a farewell in Lilydale, with the funeral company narrowly avoiding a fine of almost $10,000 after police were called.
Outer East
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A funeral company has narrowly escaped an almost $10,000 fine after a horde of bikies swarmed a Lilydale cemetery.
The breach of State Government coronavirus restrictions is just one example of what police in Melbourne’s outer east have been dealing with since the State of Emergency was announced in March.
Lockdown, which was introduced to slow the spread of the potentially deadly virus, has changed the face of suburban policing with more officers out on the road and less stuck behind the desk.
Mooroolbark Senior Sergeant Paul van Gemert said officers had been responding to reports of restriction breaches as part of the statewide Operational Sentinel.
“We had a call out to the Lilydale Memorial Park for a funeral where 35 bikies turned up,” Sen-Sgt van Gemert said.
“Initially a notice was issued to the funeral director but upon review and speaking to the Assistant Commissioner (Dean McWhirter) it was revised to a warning.”
He said a $9900 fine was difficult for businesses already struggling to stay afloat during this uncertain time.
Sen-Sgt van Gemert said officers were educating and warning rather than issuing fining — unless someone showed a blatant disregard for the rules.
“We were getting a significant amount of calls at night on neighbours who were having barbecues and exceeding the numbers and often having direct family and we have to do a numbers count,” he said.
He said police would attend and break up the get-togethers without dishing out fines.
However, there were those people who returned to the event after police had left, only to cop a ticket when officers returned to do a check-up.
Sen-Sgt van Gemert said coronavirus restrictions have seen a move almost back in time for policing.
“It’s almost like turning the clock back 30 years when everything closed at 10pm and the only people out on the roads were crooks,” Sen-Sgt van Gemert said.
“Also the direction to stay at home has reduced the number of home burglaries but has had an increase of factory and business burglaries.”
He said walk-in access to the police station was now limited to stop the spread of coronavirus, but it meant there were more police on patrol.
“That has given us more resources to put additional units on the road,” Sen-Sgt van Gemert said.
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“We have two units on at night and two or three units on during the day.”
He said while the front desk at stations were not open to the public, in emergencies the bell at the front of the building could be rung and police would organise assistance.
“I think we are still some time off being back to the new normal,” Sen-Sgt said.
“I know it’s difficult however it’s really important to keep the (coronavirus) numbers down.”