Victoria Police issue 196 fines for lockdown breaches as Victoria set to announce 451 new overnight infections

A Melbourne couple have been slapped with hefty fines after they thought they could breach curfew and satisfy a late-night pizza craving.

Buying pizza and feeding horses are among the latest excuses Melburnians have used for breaching curfew.

It comes after police issued 196 fines in the past 24 hours, including 51 to people who failed wear a face covering.

Eleven people were sprung at checkpoints, and 43 people were found blatantly breaching Melbourne’s 8pm-5am curfew.

A man told officers he was going to feed his uncle’s horses when police spotted him travelling at 3.40am in Maroondah.

A man and a woman were also fined for driving from Fawkner to Dallas about 9.30pm on Thursday night after telling officers they were out to get a pizza “as the pizza shop wouldn’t deliver”.

A man was also caught buying cigarettes about 9.30pm. Police also located a knife in his car.

Another man caught speeding in Whittlesea at 10pm was 14km from his home address and did not have a permitted reason to travel during curfew.

A total of 151 people have been caught defying curfew laws since the harsh measures came into force on Sunday night.