Shoplifter flees
POLICE are working to identify a shoplifter who was challenged by a staff member at a Swan Hill supermarket.
The offender entered the Beveridge Street store about 5.30pm on May 27 and removed items from shelves and placed them in a bag.
“She has left the store but was challenged by a staff member to return and pay for items,” a police spokesman said.
The female ignored the request and walked away.
CCTV has been shared with police.
Bike stolen
A BMX bike was stolen from a Swan Hill address late last month.
A male stole a green BMX from the front yard of a Miles Court address about 6.35pm on May 22.
Police said a witness contacted the owner and police.
A short time later, the offender was located with the bicycle.
Carnage on rural roads
TRAFFIC police are frustrated at the number of lives lost on Victoria’s roads so far this year.
Ten people have died on Victorian roads in the past week, bringing the provisional road toll to 134 lives – up from 96 at the same time last year.
Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said multi-fatality collisions had dramatically increased since the first five months of 2022, when there was one double fatality in the state.
“This year, we’ve had eight double fatalities,” he told ABC Radio.
“We’ve had two quadruple fatalities and, of course, that terrible quintuple fatality up at Strathmerton.”
Mr Weir said people not driving to road conditions had been a contributing factor in many fatal collisions.
“The disproportionate level of trauma [this year] as opposed to last year is predominantly because people are taking really high-level risk and making some really dumb decisions,” he said.
“We know we have to do something to change behaviour, otherwise we’re going to continue to see levels of trauma like this.”
