Dramatic footage released of car thief arrests in Melbourne's west

Police have released dramatic footage of officers arresting alleged car thieves in Melbourne's west as officials target record-high thefts across Victoria.

Vehicle theft is at its highest level in a decade in Victoria, with the emergence of key cloning devices driving the increase.

In the year to September 2025, more than 30,000 cars were stolen in the state, with a number of those vehicles being used to commit other crimes.

Police recently arrested 35 people during an operation targeting car thefts in Melbourne's western suburbs.

Officers detected 12 vehicles being stolen during recent Operation Momentum patrols between May 13 and May 16, with all the vehicles recovered.

The Victoria Police Air Wing assisted officers on the ground in making the arrests and laying 240 charges against the alleged thieves.

Victoria Police released footage of the arrests of five teenagers being detained after allegedly driving a stolen 2012 Dodge Journey at high speeds throughout Rockbank on May 16.

Police used a tyre deflation device after the driver of the vehicle failed to stop and crashed into two parked cars before driving off.

The car was finally stopped in Albanvale.

An officer in the police helicopter can be heard directing ground units when the occupants fled the vehicle.

"Okay, they've dumped the vehicle, we've got one, two, three, four, five out of the car," the officer said.

Four 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old were arrested after a short chase on foot.

Police launched Operation Momentum in March 2025 in response to high levels of crime in Brimbank and Melton.

Since the operation began, police have made more than 180 arrests, laid more than 750 charges and recovered about 50 stolen cars.

Other recent arrests include a 32-year-old woman who allegedly had a sawn-off shotgun in her possession in Melton South on May 14.

Police said the Ballarat woman was driving a vehicle with no number plates when she was pulled over.

She will face the Sunshine Magistrates' Court on June 11.

Police also arrested a 22-year-old driver who was travelling at 116 kilometres an hour in a 60km/h zone in Melton and failed to stop for police.

A tyre deflation device was also used to bring the car to a halt, and the driver was arrested.

In another incident, two men aged in their 30s were caught driving an allegedly stolen car with stolen number plates in Taylors Hill on May 15.

The vehicle failed to stop, forcing officers to again deploy a tyre deflation device.

The men, from Wyndham Vale and New South Wales, were arrested and charged with a number of offences.

Detective Senior Sergeant Nick Di-Mieri from the Melton Crime Investigation Unit said the operation is making a difference.

"We are out every night catching car thieves; however, this bolstered response allows us to put a real dent in vehicle crime across the western suburbs," he said.

"Our message is clear: if you choose to travel around in a stolen car, at speed, you will be arrested and held to account."