Two arrested after police target store in stolen-property probe

Two people have been arrested in connection with the potential sale of stolen goods at a convenience store in the BurnsideGorge area.

On Thursday morning, members of the Victoria police strike force obtained a search warrant for a business they believe was buying and selling stolen property.

Just before 9 a.m., strike force members moved in with the assistance of patrol officers, members of the community services division and the major crime unit.

Victoria police said the search warrant is the result of an extensive background investigation. Officers also had to perform a risk assessment and create a detailed plan to keep everybody safe, police said.

A man and a woman were arrested and face charges for property crime and laundering the proceeds of crime.

Police recovered stolen property that included alcohol, perfume, electronics, coffee and other items.

Strike force members remained at the scene, documenting the contents of the business and property related to crime, police said. Yellow police tape prevented customers from entering the Mega Mart.

Police said a large amount of stolen property had been located that they believe was going to be resold.

“This is what’s known as a fencing operation,” Victoria police said on Twitter.

A business acts as a fence, or middleman, which takes in stolen property from thieves and resells it for a profit. By targeting the fence, the strike force removes the marketplace for stolen property to be bought and resold, police said.

Police said it’s one tactic being used to combat a recent rise in property crime in the Burnside-Gorge area.