A car fire was not what Matthew Irwin expected to see on his morning run in Kialla on Wednesday, February 1.
Mr Irwin was running at the Australian Botanic Gardens Shepparton when he saw black smoke and thought a house could be on fire.
When he went to see if he could help, Mr Irwin instead saw a Porsche fully alight at Riverview Dve, just off Watt Rd.
Police said the vehicle had been stolen on Tuesday night from Echuca and two people were allegedly seen running from it.
Fire Rescue Victoria firefighters put out the blaze and police are investigating.
Anyone who witnessed the fire or the lead-up to it should call Detective Senior Constable Scott Begbie at Shepparton Crime Investigation Unit on 5820 5777 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au
Three drug-affected drivers detected
Echuca Highway Patrol detected three drug drivers and two unauthorised drivers on the Australia Day long weekend.
The two unauthorised drivers did not hold a licence.
All drivers will be required to appear at Echuca Magistrates’ Court.
Jewellery store break-in
Echuca police are investigating the circumstances surrounding an alleged break-in that occurred at JM Leech Jewellers, Echuca about 9.50pm on Friday, January 27.
Police allege an unknown male forced entry into the store at 190 Hare St and stole clothing and jewellery.
The male, believed to have been riding an electric skateboard, was last seen heading east over the railway bridge adjacent to the train station.
Police have reviewed in-store CCTV.
If you believe you can assist Echuca Police with their investigation, phone 5483 1500 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
600 people charged during Operation Amarok
More than 600 people were charged as a result of a new, four-day, high-impact operation targeting domestic violence crimes in New South Wales.
Operation Amarok One ran from Tuesday, January 24 until Friday, January 27.
During the operation, on January 24, officers attached to the Murray River Police District attempted to conduct a welfare check on an 83-year-old woman, and ended up arresting and charging a 51-year-old male relative.
The male was charged with a number of offences including assault occasioning actual bodily harm and stalking/intimidation.
He has been formally refused bail to next appear at Albury Local Court on March 15.
Corporate sponsor for domestic and family violence, deputy commissioner Mal Lanyon said domestic and family-related violence was the most challenging community issue of the generation because people often wanted to deal with the situation behind closed doors.
“The NSW Police Force invests significant resources into responding to domestic and family violence; attending some 139,000 calls for assistance in 2022 — with more than 33,100 of those actual assaults and 17 domestic-related murders,” deputy commissioner Lanyon said.
“We continue to battle the perception that domestic violence is a ‘family matter’ and therefore should be treated as ‘private business’. That is certainly not the case. It is a community matter, and we all have a part to play in stopping the senseless loss of lives due to this crime.
“Research tells us that without appropriate police targeting, a person who has been charged with a strangulation or suffocation offence is likely to progress to homicide offending; this is the key focus of Operation Amarok.”
Information about the NSW Police Force response to domestic and family violence, including links to victim services, can be found online at https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/crime/domestic_and_family_violence