Patrick Gavin, 39, of Vickers Road, was arrested after police executed a search warrant at his home at 6am.

He has been charged with committing four burglaries and two thefts on Warrnambool central business district premises.

Mr Gavin yesterday appeared in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court and applied for bail, which was opposed by police.

Detective Senior Con-stable Colin Ryan, of the Warrnambool Criminal Investigation Unit, told the court that Mr Gavin had previously failed to appear on bail eight times.

He said the alleged burglaries were alleged to have been committed on September 26 and 27.

Detective Senior Constable Ryan said $1000 was stolen from Lifeline after a roller door was forced open. About $20 was stolen from a real estate agent's premises on Raglan Parade after a window was smashed.

The business office of the Baptist Church was also ransacked and a side roller door forced open at Warrnambool Books in Fairy Street.

Detective Senior Constable Ryan said Mr Gavin's DNA had been found at three of the four burgled premises which led to yesterday's early morning arrest. He said Mr Gavin was originally from the Warrnambool area but had lived in the Horsham district for the past six years and was currently wanted for questioning over a theft by Horsham police detectives.

Detective Senior Constable Ryan said Mr Gavin was an active criminal who had lengthy prior convictions and was likely to receive a prison term if the new charges were proven.

He said Mr Gavin had been staying with a woman in Vickers Road and she was yesterday charged with possessing a firearm.

Mr Gavin declined to take part in a police interview.

Defence counsel Jake Torney said Mr Gavin had not failed to answer bail during the past six-and-a-half years and his client had followed his mother back to Warrnambool.

Magistrate Steve Myall refused bail because he said Mr Gavin was an unacceptable risk of both further offending and failing to answer bail.