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A 27-year-old Warrnambool man is expected to appear in the Warrnambool court on Monday charged with about 50 offences.
Warrnambool police Detective Senior Constable Derek Verity, of the crime investigation unit, said there was a warrant of apprehension out for the man after he failed to appear in a Melbourne court on April 4 charged with 36 offences.
The man and a 26-year-old woman were arrested by off-duty detectives about 3.30pm Saturday at Bunnings.
The man's new charges relate to being a prohibited person in possession of a sawn-off shotgun, which police will allege was in a bag with shotgun ammunition shells.
He's also been charged with theft, possessing and using ecstasy, multiple counts of evading police and petrol drive-offs at Warrnambool service stations.
The evade police incidents are alleged to have happened at Purnim, Panmure and Warrnambool during the past three weeks in a green VS Commodore sedan with alloy wheels.
There's also multiple counts of fraudulently using number plates.
An off-duty detective saw the green Holden while on his way home after a shift on Saturday and followed the vehicle into the Bunnings car park.
He called another detective to attend and a third off-duty detective fortuitously arrived on a shopping trip and was co-opted to assist.
The 27-year-old man and 26-year-old woman were arrested in what was described as being a "dynamic situation".
"They were arrested on the spot and were pretty compliant," Detective Senior Constable Verity said.
The woman has been charged with drugs, theft and firearm offences.
It's alleged the pair told investigators they had been living out of the vehicle for the past month.
"We also believe that both the man and woman have significant drug issues," Detective Senior Constable Verity said.
The man appeared in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Monday, did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody until June 6.
The woman appeared in the same court on Monday and was remanded in custody to appear in Geelong Magistrates Court on Tuesday for a bail application.
Sunday: A Warrnambool man got more than he bargained for when he decided to visit a hardware store on Saturday.
The 27-year-old was spotted by two off-duty detectives driving a vehicle believed to have been involved in a number of dangerous driving incidents, petrol drive-offs and evades in Warrnambool in recent days.
On Saturday, two detectives had just finished their shift and were driving along Raglan Parade when they spotted a green Holden commodore.
The detectives followed the car and watched as its driver pulled into a hardware store, parked the Commodore and went inside.
The man was arrested in one of the aisles of the store and held by the detectives until back-up arrived.
Police conducted a search of the vehicle and allege they found a double barrel shotgun, drugs and stolen goods.
A 26-year-old woman was also arrested.
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