Prohibited items allegedly snagged by police at hardware store

By Bree Harding

Dec 16, 2024

A man has been charged after allegedly being found with prohibited items in a Shepparton hardware store last week.

A man has been charged with several offences after entering a Shepparton hardware store allegedly armed with weapons last week.

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A 23-year-old Lilydale man, who was visiting his partner’s family in Shepparton with her, allegedly entered Bunnings Warehouse at around 8.10pm on Thursday, December 12, with an imitation firearm visible in the front of his tracksuit pants.

A staff member alerted police, who attended the scene and arrested the man in the store shortly after.

Along with the “convincing” replica pistol, he was also allegedly found in possession of a hatchet, a dagger, a carving knife and a vehicle key remote programming device, which according to police is a prohibited item that car thieves often use to steal cars.

The man was taken to Shepparton Police Station and charged with possession of an imitation firearm, possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of a dangerous article and going equipped to steal.

He will appear in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court next year.