UPDATE, Monday, 12.17pm:
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A wanted 35-year-old Warrnambool man has been charged with about 50 criminal offences after being arrested late last week.
Victoria Police said in a statement Warrnambool police crime investigation unit detectives had charged a 35-year-old man following a series of alleged offending in Warrnambool and surrounding districts during March.
It's alleged the man was involved in offences, including aggravated burglaries, burglaries, theft from and theft of motor vehicles and evading police in Warrnambool, Port Fairy, Koroit, Allansford, Timboon and Peterborough between March 9 and March 29, last Friday.
Information from the public led police to a house under construction on Eckard Street in Warrnambool about 10.30am on Friday.
The offender was located squatting in the ceiling and ran from the scene.
The man was arrested a short distance away by members of the crime scene services unit.
A man, of no fixed address, has been charged with five counts of aggravated burglary, 30 counts of theft from motor car, two counts of theft of motor car, seven counts of attempted theft from motor vehicle, two counts of dangerous driving and five counts of theft.
He has been remanded to appear at Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Tuesday, April 2.
On Friday, 1.20pm:
Wanted man Lucas Harradine has been arrested by Warrnambool police after a four-day public manhunt.
South-west police Acting crime manager Senior Sergeant Bill Caldow said it was expected the arrested man would be charged with at least 60 criminal offences.
Those offences include about 10 aggravated burglaries which involved the man allegedly entering homes, often while the occupants were asleep in their beds, to steal tools, valuables and car keys.
"Additional patrols were rostered on in direct response to this offending," he said.
"The Warrnambool crime investigation unit investigators, led by Detective Sergeant Andrew Raven, and the Warrnambool tasking unit, led by Detective Sergeant Derek Verity, and the crime scene officers worked tirelessly to apprehend the offender and in an effort to protect the community.
"I can not praise their efforts enough - this was outstanding police work," he said.
Friday at 11.18am:
Wanted man Lucas Harradine has been arrested by Warrnambool police after a four-day public manhunt.
Detective Sergeant Andrew Raven, of the Warrnambool police crime investigation unit, said there were a number of raids at Warrnambool properties on Friday morning, March 29.
He said officers went to an address in Ekard Street soon after 10am.
The investigator said Mr Harradine fled on foot from that address, over a number of back fences and was arrested without incident by crime scene officers assisting in the manhunt along Derby Street.
Mr Harradine will be interviewed and is expected to be charged with a wide range of offences, including burglaries and aggravated burglaries.
Later today he will appear before a bail justice, who is expected to to remand the 36-year-old in custody until Tuesday, April 2.
He will then appear in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court for a bail/remand hearing.
Detective Sergeant Raven thanked members of the public for providing information since Mr Harradine was declared wanted on Tuesday.
He said a large number of police officers from various departments and stations had been involved in the region-wide manhunt during the past fortnight.
"It's been an extensive operation involving a lot of resources," he said.
"We had been to a number of addresses just on Friday morning. It's very pleasing to have the individual in custody."
Friday, 7.15am:
Senior police officers have described a "crime tsunami" leading to a warrant for the apprehension of Warrnambool man Lucas Harradine.
Warrnambool crime investigation unit detectives, divisional tasking unit officers and uniform police were involved in searching for Mr Harradine at eight Warrnambool addresses on Thursday, March 28.
It's expected a similar number of Mr Harradine's associates will have visits from police again today.
Mr Harradine was seen in central Warrnambool on Thursday morning wearing a light-coloured hoodie with an Under Armour logo and camouflage shorts.
He was pictured in the shorts when an image of the 36-year-old was released on Tuesday.
Mr Harradine is wanted by police in relation to a series of burglaries and home invasions across the south-west.
Police are requesting that anyone who sees Mr Harradine immediately contact police on Triple Zero (000).
On Thursday, 10.48am:
Wanted Warrnambool man Lucas Harradine was seen in central Warrnambool on Thursday morning, March 28.
The 36-year-old is wanted by police in relation to a series of burglaries and home invasions across the south-west.
Detective Sergeant Andrew Raven, of the Warrnambool police crime investigation unit, said Mr Harradine was spotted on foot.
"That's a confirmed sighting," he said.
"He's wearing a light-coloured hoodie with an Under Armour logo.
"He's also still wearing the same camouflage shorts he was pictured wearing in the image that was released on Tuesday."
Detective Sergeant Raven said Mr Harradine was seen walking and with the hood of the hoodie over his head.
"He's definitely been seen, he's in the city and he's on foot," he said.
"We are requesting that anyone who sees Mr Harradine immediately contact police on Triple Zero (000)."
At 8.25am:
Warrnambool police will today, Thursday, March 28, raid more homes in the hunt for wanted man Lucas Harradine.
He's wanted in relation to a series of burglaries and aggravated burglaries in Port Fairy, Warrnambool and across the south-west region during the past month.
Warrnambool crime investigation unit detectives, divisional tasking unit officers and uniform police have been raiding the homes of known associates during the past few days.
That will continue today as police ramp up the search.
It's alleged Mr Harradine dumped a $27,000 stolen Nissan Navara utility on Tuesday afternoon in Warrnambool's Ardlie Street after police released an image of the ute and Mr Harradine.
Police allege Mr Harradine then went through parked cars in that area looking for a vehicle to drive away.
Anyone with information of Mr Harradine's whereabouts are requested to immediately contact the Warrnambool police station (55601333) or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
On Wednesday, 7.15am:
A stolen utility has been located in Warrnambool's Ardlie Street while police continue to search for the accused thief.
Lucas Harradine, 36, who is known to frequent Warrnambool, Framlingham and Port Fairy, is wanted in relation to a series of alleged burglaries and home invasions across the south-west.
He was seen in central Warrnambool driving an allegedly stolen utility just before 2.45pm on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
Images of the Nissan Navara (registration 1VQ4ZT) and Mr Harradine have been released by Victoria Police to assist in identifying and locating him.
The Navara was later located in central Warrnambool after it was stolen last weekend.
The $27,000 utility was from the driveway of a Warrnambool home and at least four other properties were targeted on Saturday, March 23.
Between 3am and 4am on Saturday a 2014 black Nissan Nivara DC was taken from the driveway of a home in the Logans Beach estate.
Warrnambool and district police have been conducting an extensive operation to try and arrest the wanted man.
Anyone with information about Mr Harradine's whereabouts is requested to immediately contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
On Tuesday: Police are seeking information from the public to assist in the arrest of wanted Warrnambool district man Lucas Harradine.
The 36-year-old, who is known to frequent Warrnambool, Framlingham and Port Fairy, is wanted in relation to a series of burglaries and home invasions across the south-west.
Mr Harradine was seen in central Warrnambool just before 2.45pm on Tuesday, March 25, 2024.
Warrnambool and district police have been conducting an extensive operation to try and arrest the wanted man.
That led to more than a dozen officers attending at a Princetown property on Monday night.
They were unsuccessful in their attempts to arrest Mr Harradine.
Images of an allegedly stolen Nissan Navara (registration 1VQ4ZT) and Mr Harradine have been released by Victoria Police to assist in identifying and locating him.
He is believed to be travelling in the vehicle.
Anyone with information about Mr Harradine's whereabouts is requested to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
