Ray Watson: Quiet beer failed to flip doomed crook
The armed robbery squad was sure two thugs had pulled off a dangerous heist, but they couldn’t prove it. In desperation, Ray Watson arranged to meet one for a beer. They agreed to arrive at a Fawkner pub unarmed and unescorted. They both lied.
Police & Courts
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During the 1990s our attention was drawn to the activities of Anthony Bouchard and Kevin “Weary” Williams.
They were believed responsible for a recent payroll van armed robbery and other similar crimes.
We had tried all the usual avenues available to detectives but had drawn a blank.
At one stage, we hired a flat in Hawthorn and had installed an authorised listening device in a nearby residence where we believed Bouchard was living.
We watched the comings and goings of Bouchard and his friends and even observed a person enter the house with an electronic device designed to detect “bugs”.
The police technicians used superior devices which were much harder to detect and nothing was found by the suspects.
Nonetheless, the operation on these experienced criminals was going nowhere fast and it was back to the drawing board.
At a point of exasperation I decided to ring Williams.
He knew of me and we arranged to meet me in the public bar of the First and Last hotel on Sydney Road, Fawkner.
It was agreed that we would be unarmed and unescorted.
We both lied.
I was carrying a .38 Smith and Wesson revolver and was protected by Detective Sergeant Shane Butler who was in the hotel carpark.
Williams met me at the public bar and I bought us a beer.
I can remember Williams saying: “That’s the first time a copper has bought me a beer”.
“It’ll be the last time too,” I replied.
Our conversation lasted about ten minutes and there was no nastiness.
I used that time in an attempt to get Williams to cross over to the side of goodness, not evil.
He said: “I hear what you’re saying. It makes sense but if I did that, I would be dead tomorrow. “
I also remember saying: “I understand. Hostilities are resumed”.
A few months later, Williams and Bouchard were observed “casing” an Armaguard collection at a St Kilda supermarket and the business became the centre of attention for the armed robbery squad.
We knew it was a waste of time to try and follow “Weary” and Bouchard who were too smart for that type of manoeuvre.
A few weeks later, while I was on leave, I coincidentally had to attend the office and was informed by Detective Senior Sergeant Neil Edwards that it looked as though Williams and Bouchard were “hot to trot” that day.
I joined a team of detectives and was told undercover officers had located a car owned by Williams, parked near Albert Park Lake.
Sure enough, we were told that the Armaguard truck had been robbed by Williams and Bouchard.
They drove their stolen car and loot to Albert Park and were subsequently arrested at gunpoint.
I remember saying to Williams as he lay on the ground handcuffed: “I told you, we would get you”.
He looked at me and just proffered a wry smile.
Both Williams and Bouchard received long jail terms for their actions.
Ray Watson was the boss of the Armed Robbery Squad.
Listen to his tales from the squad on Andew Rule’s Life and Crimes podcast
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