A 75-year-old man has been charged over the alleged theft of redgum fences across the East Gippsland area, an ongoing operation that has caused almost $90,000 in damage across several local farming properties.
Police will allege the removal of fencing wire and the theft of timber has been occurring over a two-year period. Following extensive investigations, Bairnsdale Police executed a search warrant at a residential property in Paynesville last week.
When officers arrived at the address, they allegedly witnessed the 75-year-old pulling into his driveway with a trailer of fence posts believed to have been stolen.
Police subsequently seized two trailer loads of cut redgum farm fencing, as well as 25 full-length redgum farm fence posts from the scene.
The man was arrested and has since been charged with four counts each of theft, criminal damage, and trespassing. He was bailed to appear at the Bairnsdale Magistrates’ Court on November 18.
Anyone with information regarding suspicious or criminal activity at regional farming properties is urged to contact Crime Stoppers or submit a report online via the Crime Stoppers Victoria website. All reports can be made anonymously.
