Young family ‘traumatised’ after Jamie Camilleri allegedly burgled Altona home

A man accused of breaking into a Altona home and ‘traumatising’ a young family was pants-less and drug-addled, a court has heard.

A man was allegedly drug-addled and not wearing pants when he broke into the home of a young family “traumatising” them, a court has heard.

Police say Jamie Camilleri, 34, was arrested outside a McBain St home in Altona on July 29 after officers patrolling in the area responded to reports of a burglary.

The Reservoir man appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday facing more than 25 charges including aggravated burglary, exposing an emergency services worker to harm, burglary, criminal damage and bail offences.

The court heard Mr Camilleri was spotted by police allegedly attempting to leave the property in a stolen car at about 2.30am.

Police boxed the vehicle in, which is when the unemployed man allegedly crashed into multiple cop cars, two other parked cars and a fence in a panicked attempt to escape the scene.

Jamie Camilleri, 34, is accused of breaking into a family home on July 19, 2022. Picture: Facebook.

He also allegedly damaged a gas main in the front yard, which forced neighbours from other homes in the street to evacuate during the early morning incident.

Detective Senior Constable Laurence Shanahan told the court the residents of the home were “terribly traumatised” by the alleged incident.

A man’s alleged attempt to steal a car from a family home in McBain St, Altona went horribly wrong, ending with a police car collision. Picture: Owen Leonard

A police car boxes in the family’s car. Picture: Owen Leonard

“They’ve got two small children and they haven’t been living at home since the incident,” he said.

“They’re struggling on a day-to-day basis to feel safe in their home.”

He said when Mr Camilleri was later interviewed by police he apologised and told them he can “hardly remember” the night.

A summary of the allegations read to the court outlined a series of erratic behaviour around the area in the hours leading up to the alleged incident.

Senior Constable Shanahan alleged Mr Camilleri threw trash around the streets of Altona, broke into the Hobsons Bay healthcare building and stole thongs from a nearby home.

He is also charged over a series of alleged graffiti incidents across Melbourne, tagging locations with the word “ammo”.

Despite strong opposition from prosecutors, who argued he was a risk to the community, Mr Camilleri was granted bail on strict conditions by Magistrate Caroline Burnside.

He will return to the same court for judicial monitoring in October.