Six young men arrested over last week’s Thornbury gun shop heist

Six men – all in their teens or early 20s – have been arrested over last week’s armed robbery at a gun shop in Melbourne’s north.

Police investigating the heist at O’Reilly’s Sports in Thornbury have made several arrests in the past 24 hours.

Handguns were stolen in an armed robbery at this Thornbury gun store last week.

Police had feared the stolen guns – 37 in total – would be sold on the black market but now they believe that all the missing firearms have been recovered.

Four masked thieves armed with weapons, including a gun and sledgehammer, raided the gun shop on High Street, Thornbury at 11am on January 29.

At the time, police believed more than 60 guns may have been stolen during the armed robbery. A subsequent audit determined that 37 firearms had been taken.

Firearms were seized during the police raids and it’s believed all the guns stolen in Thornbury are now accounted for.
Two men were arrested by police on Collins Street about 2.10pm on Monday, a police statement said. An 18-year-old Chadstone man has been charged with armed robbery, theft of firearms and possessing a traffickable quantity of firearms.

Both were held in custody overnight and will face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday morning.

A number of warrants were subsequently executed by detectives at properties across the city. A 20-year-old Wallan man, 20-year-old Craigieburn man, 19-year-old Dallas man and 25-year-old Craigieburn man were arrested and will be interviewed by police.

The investigation remains ongoing and anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 00.

-Daniella Miletic, The Age