Victoria Police have released dramatic footage of the arrests of several teenagers as part of an operation targeting vehicle thefts, which have reached a decade-high in the state. The arrests occurred during Operation Momentum patrols in Melbourne's western suburbs between May 13 and May 16.
Police arrested 35 people during the operation, detecting 12 stolen vehicles, all of which were recovered. The Victoria Police Air Wing assisted ground units, leading to 240 charges being laid. In one incident on May 16, five teenagers were arrested after allegedly driving a stolen 2012 Dodge Journey at high speeds in Rockbank. Police used a tyre deflation device after the driver failed to stop, crashed into two parked cars, and fled on foot.
Four 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old were apprehended after a short chase. The Air Wing officer directed ground units, saying, 'Okay, they've dumped the vehicle, we've got one, two, three, four, five out of the car.'
Vehicle theft in Victoria is at its highest level in a decade, with more than 30,000 cars stolen in the year to September 2025. The rise is attributed to key cloning devices, and many stolen vehicles are used in other crimes.
Operation Momentum, launched in March 2025 in response to high crime in Brimbank and Melton, has resulted in over 180 arrests, more than 750 charges, and around 50 recovered cars. Other recent arrests include a 32-year-old woman found with a sawn-off shotgun in Melton South, a 22-year-old driver speeding at 116 km/h in a 60 km/h zone in Melton, and two men in their 30s driving a stolen car with stolen plates in Taylors Hill.
Detective Senior Sergeant Nick Di-Mieri from the Melton Crime Investigation Unit said, 'We are out every night catching car thieves; however, this bolstered response allows us to put a real dent in vehicle crime across the western suburbs.' He added, 'Our message is clear: if you choose to travel around in a stolen car, at speed, you will be arrested and held to account.'
