Real-life ‘Clyde’ captured in Kenwick
A 57-year-old man at the centre of a city-wide police hunt was captured in Kenwick.
Brett Ronald Maston, who was once dubbed ‘Australia’s Most Wanted’ – a label he proudly had tattooed across his back, triggered the manhunt after he allegedly removed his ankle monitor on Monday morning.
Mr Maston was out on bail after being stopped in Warwick allegedly carrying a gun, cash and stolen property.
Detectives from the Rapid Apprehension Squad issued a public appeal for Mr Maston’s whereabouts only one week after the home detention bail conditions were set following a video-link appearance at Perth Magistrates Court on May 13.
Mr Maston was once a prolific bank robber, who served a decade-long sentence for his crimes.
He earned the reputation of Australia’s Most Wanted after pulling off two escapes from prison, including a particularly brazen breakout from Fremantle Hospital in the 90s, abetted by his shotgun-toting girlfriend Christine Evagora.
He fled to the Philippines where he lived a life of luxury and started a family, until an extradition order sent him back to WA to answer for his outstanding charges.
Last year he attempted to make amends to the victims of his crimes, making a $33,000 payment in reparation – an amount he’d received as compensation for being the victim of abuse in youth detention.
“Look, my life was destroyed. And I know through my actions I’ve destroyed other people’s lives … and it’s something I regret sincerely,” he said in an interview in July last year.
He was arrested by officers from the Rapid Apprehension Squad at an address in Kenwick just before 5pm on Monday.
He was charged with ‘Removed, damaged or interfered with monitoring equipment to prevent or impede monitoring of a person’s location’ and ‘Possess a prohibited drug’.
He was due to appear before the Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Galati looks into stab-proof vests after another knife incident
A security guard has been cut with a knife after trying to stop teenage shoplifters at Kelmscott Spudshed over the weekend.
The two teenagers (16 and 13) allegedly tried to leave without paying for a ‘number of items’ just after midnight on Saturday.
When store security stopped the boys, the 16-year-old allegedly tried to pull out a knife concealed inside his pants.
During a jostle over the knife, the guard and the teen both suffered a small cut to their hand.
The boys then fled the store towards Kelmscott train station.
When police arrived, they found and seized a knife at the scene.
Both boys were arrested.
The 16-year-old has been charged with one count of ‘Aggravated Armed Robbery’.
He was due to appear before the Perth Children’s Court on Sunday.
The 13-year-old has been charged with one count of ‘Stealing’.
He is due to appear before the Perth Children’s Court on 4 June.
This incident is the third in a series of recent heavily-publicised crimes involving teens and knives, including the unprovoked stabbing outside Willetton Bunnings earlier this month by a ‘radicalised’ local teen, and at Carousel the week before last.
The Spud King Tony Galati has responded saying he would be working with his store management teams to introduce more in-store safety measures, including stab-proof vests for security.
“I heard that some of the security guards have those stab-proof jackets, we’ve got our guys looking at it,” he said.
“You’ll probably see our security guards have them over the next month or so.
“We’ll take every precaution that we have to.”
Dirt bike bandits terrorise Armadale
Armadale Detectives are investigating a series of burglary incidents in Byford and Seville Grove where several off-road motorcycles were stolen.
On Thursday, Armadale Detectives with the assistance of the Mandurah Rapid High Harm Offender Response team, executed a search warrant and arrested an 18-year-old man on Boat Way in Golden Bay in connection with the offences.
The man has been charged with Aggravated Home Burglary, Steal Motor Vehicle and Attempted Aggravated Home Burglary.
He was due to appear before the Armadale Magistrates Court on Friday.
The investigation remains ongoing and a 16-year-old boy currently remains outstanding.
As inquiries continue, detectives have released the following image of two motorcycles, which also remain outstanding.
Members of the public are urged not to approach suspects on the motorcycles and instead contact police immediately on 131 444.
Anyone with any information is urged to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online via www.crimestopperwa.gov.au
