Victoria Police special operations group officers have arrested a 24-year-old Warrnambool man over a series of car thefts, the torching of vehicles and firearms offences.
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Detective Senior Constable Elissa Smith, of the Warrnambool police crime investigation unit, said the 24-year-old Warrnambool man surrendered himself to SOG members after they surrounded a Younger Street address in Warrnambool at 6pm on Friday evening.
The man was arrested, interviewed and had been charged with an initial 17 offences.
Those offences include aggravated burglary, theft of vehicles, arsons, theft of firearms and being a prohibited person being in possession of firearms.
He's expected to be charged with more offences.
The man has been remanded in custody and is expected to appear in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court for a bail/remand hearing on Monday.
The charges arise out of a series of crimes committed in the past month across Warrnambool and district, centred on South Warrnambool.
In addition, a 14-year-old male youth and 18-year-old woman have also been charged with associated offences.
Police allege the 24-year-old man was the principal offender.
The alleged crimes include the theft of about 10 vehicles and the torching of at least three of those cars.
Four golf carts were also stolen and a burglary committed at the Warrnambool Jean Jail store.
"Police investigations have been complicated because of the alleged involvement of firearms and the torching of the vehicles," Detective Senior Constable Smith said.
"There's been a lot of work done in the background during the past couple of weeks to collect evidence. We're very happy with the end result and investigations are continuing," she said.
Anyone with information about the series of crimes is requested to contact the Warrnambool police station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
