Coronavirus Victoria: Cops shut down wild party, hand out $60K in fines

Victorian Police have been ruthless in shutting down illegal parties, with one with 34 people resulting in nearly $60,000 worth of fines.

Victorians are hosting costly parties and get-togethers, with one resulting in nearly $60,000 in fines.

Police today detailed the illegal events that had been held in locked down Melbourne suburbs and the bizarre excuses people have given for gatherings held as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

In the worst example, officers responded to a noise complaint last Thursday where they found 10 people initially gathered for a party at a short-term rental in La Trobe Street, Docklands.

Police then found another 24 people who were at the party, with each person issued a fine for $1652.

The owner of the apartment who rented it out was also hit with a $1652 fine, resulting in a total of $57,820.

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Police warned they are out in force in Melbourne. Picture: Daniel Pockett

In the past 24 hours alone, fines have totalled $104,076 with 63 issued.

Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent said 21 of these were issued at vehicle checkpoints.

People are giving all kinds of excuses, with four people who live in different areas including Cranbourne, Collingwood and Cranbourne North at a house in Alphington saying they were there to charge their phone.

All were issued fines.

On Monday a man had some expensive fried chicken after he refused to leave a KFC at Dandenong and was also hit with a $1652 fine.

“Clearly KFC is popular during the lockdown,” Deputy Commissioner Nugent said, referring to an incident also at Dandenong where a late-night KFC run cost a group $26,000.

In an example of an excuse that’s definitely not valid to leave your home, two men were caught in the carpark of a store in Seville playing Pokemon.

Police said when they told them this was not a valid reason for being out, the men changed their story but were unable to prove their claims. Both were fined.

“The restrictions for leaving your home are well known. I can say it does not include playing Pokemon,” Deputy Commissioner Nugent said.

Police have issued 40 infringement notices to people visiting massage parlours or sex work premises, and fines to two businesses for breaching restrictions.

But Deputy Commissioner Nugent said the main concern was house parties.

“We are finding people in cupboards, we are finding people in garages. Please stop,” he said.

Since stage three restrictions came into effect on July 8, 546 infringement notices have been issued, 151 at vehicle checkpoints.

Yesterday police were called to Wavell St in Bentleigh about 6pm following reports of a gathering in the street.

Ten people were in a driveway and on the footpath with stools set up around a gas heater drinking alcohol.

They told police they thought that if they maintained 1.5m social distancing rule, they were able to gather in the street.

One of the men had travelled from Brighton. All 10 were fined.

Also yesterday five people were at a home in Thames St, Box Hill, and told police they were celebrating their friend’s graduation.