WA Police Confidential (Formerly Operation Podcast)
The official WA Police Force Podcast
WA Police Confidential (Formerly Operation Podcast)
Ep 30 - Chase at Forrest Chase
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Episode 30 of WA Police Confidential! The official WA Police Force Podcast.
On this week’s show:
- Superintendent Amber Harvey walks us through a dramatic arrest in the heart of Perth Train Station.
- Seen reports of stolen motorcycles in the news? Acting Superintendent Jayd Morawski gives us the rundown on some recent incidents and how and what to do to protect your property.
- A snake named Sid and two beloved Mundaring sculptures, both STOLEN! Help us catch whoever took them and return them home.
This podcast discusses real-life crimes and law enforcement matters. It may include detailed descriptions of criminal activity, traumatic incidents, and other content that could be confronting or distressing, particularly for victim survivors. Listener discretion is advised. If you find any of these topics upsetting, please consider whether this content is right for you and seek support if needed.
SPEAKER_08Welcome to another episode of WA Police Confidential, the official weekly podcast of the Western Australia Police Force. I'm Joey Katanzaro.
SPEAKER_06And I'm Sergeant Nate Gilmore.
SPEAKER_08And I had trouble saying podcasts just then. Sorry about that. You did this week, uh, a stolen python that is not of the well, the lolly. The lolly and the you know the snake. It's not a killer python. It's not a killer python, it's it's actually a beloved python. More on that a bit later. Um, also, two missing sculptures.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, they quite a historic significance up in the hills.
SPEAKER_08Uh yeah, well, well, well, yeah, we'll get to that. But uh, let's like can I just say this case is not past the Statue of Limitations. Definitely not. Yeah, yeah. And a look, an extraordinary uh pursuit that took a very unexpected turn. In fact, I'm gonna say I've never seen a police motorcycle do what you will we we will discuss, you will hear, and if you're looking at our socials, you will see uh this episode. It's pretty out there, right, Nate?
SPEAKER_06Oh, it's out there and it ends in a tense standoff at the Perth train station. So that's definitely one to tune in for.
SPEAKER_08100%. Yeah, let's just say Chase in Forest Chase. That might be the putting the chase in forest chase might be the clue. And uh Claire Sienta returns with it's probably bad news because it probably is.
SPEAKER_06We've also got your history fact for the week.
SPEAKER_08Yep. Plenty to get through, and it's it's pretty cool, I gotta say.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, let's get this show in the road.
SPEAKER_08This is WA Police Confidential. Welcome back to Confidential. Well, you may have, like myself, often wondered what is the difference between Forest Place and Forest Chase in the city. Well, uh here to answer that question definitively today is uh Ember Harvey. She is the uh superintendent of Perth Metro District. Uh and she's gonna talk about uh a pretty exceptional uh chase, uh a pursuit, if you will, uh through uh the the the heart of the city after someone who committed some really serious offences. And just before just before we get into it, uh I just want to flag to all of you that um listening today that our next guest is none other than Detective Inspector Jade Morawski, he's a long-term uh friend of the pod. You may have heard him on here before. And he actually turned up early, so he's actually sitting in on this segment as well. So, Amber, what what was the offence? How did this this happen? I don't want to spoil anything, we're gonna go through it.
SPEAKER_03We're gonna start from the beginning and we'll build into it. So uh it happened on Sunday in the afternoon, and we had a report of a family violence incident that happened down in the East Perth end of um the city.
SPEAKER_07Yep.
SPEAKER_03So the male person had apparent reportedly attended there, and there was a bit of an incident there. So the police were on the way and came across him as he'd left the address, and he was on the incorrect side of uh Adelaide Terrace on his e-scooter.
SPEAKER_08Okay.
SPEAKER_03So the officers in there uh were in the van, obviously tried to stop him, and he decided he didn't want to play the game that day. Didn't want to stop on his e-scooter. Um, on the incorrect side of the road, travelling in between cars. So the guys tried to pull him over a few times, had to he kept switching and going up and down Adelaide Terrace on the different sides of the road.
SPEAKER_08So extremely dangerous, extremely dangerous. Everybody involved, yep.
SPEAKER_03Heading into oncoming traffic. Ended up on um near Hay Street, near the courts. And fortunately, we had some road policing motorcyclists in the CBD um as a result of the city to surf and the uh the protests that we were having.
SPEAKER_08Love those guys, yep.
SPEAKER_03Yep, and they were really the only ones that were suitable enough to probably keep up with the e-scooter because the cars were becoming a bit of a challenge with having to do U-turns and navigating all the streets in the CBD.
SPEAKER_08Okay, just for a moment, we're just gonna go to the bike cam, have a listen to this.
SPEAKER_07Okay. So basically, what you you were hearing was a road policing motorcycle officer on the first level of forest chase.
SPEAKER_03On the first level of forest chase.
SPEAKER_08So we're talking up escalators, up a lift, potentially. I don't know how they got up there, but some incredible motorbike riding because this was a serious offense, this person wasn't stopping. You've watched the the helmet cam. Can you sort of describe what you were seeing? And we'll put it on our socials as well so people can have a look for themselves.
SPEAKER_03I would say um, you know, the officers to Nasi to keep chasing was pretty impressive, um, the lengths that he went to. Um and he was then ably supported by one of our bike crew. Um, so one of the pushbikes came in behind him, and there was the two of them. But he was coming through the malls. Um, he probably would have seen a few of the members of the public um would have been a little bit surprised seeing a motorbike coming down Forest Chase across the top. Um they followed the mail across into the Perth train station, so they went across the Wellington Street Bridge, um, and then where he decided to try and get onto the platforms and down onto the tracks, so to get away from the motorbike and the the pushbike.
SPEAKER_08So yeah, he didn't get away.
SPEAKER_03Didn't get away, learnt a lesson that just because you go on the tracks, it doesn't mean that you're not untouchable. So um the guys did a good job following him down. He decided thinking if he went onto the tracks it would mean that we would stop. Um but after the trains were halted, the guys were straight in.
SPEAKER_08Did he go up the stairs? Did you say how you get up got up there? Up to up to the first sort of so we've got the ground floor in Forest Chase, but this the pursuit um of the of the FDV uh offender. Um it it went one level above ground. It went up onto the first floor. Did did you take in the stairs, the escalator we know?
SPEAKER_03We actually came through Carillion Arcade. Oh. So through Hay Street Mall, and then the e-scooter decided to try his luck ducking down the closed Carillion Arcade where it's being renovated so there was no businesses around, um, and decided to have a gamble going through there, but the motorbike officer wasn't giving up and kept him in his sights and managed to navigate through the Corillion Arcade to keep eyes on him.
SPEAKER_08That's amazing. Um, Jay, just because you're here early and you're just happy to be sitting there. Um Are you a motorbike rider? Have you ridden ridden a bike with the five?
SPEAKER_01I have, I have certainly ridden a few bikes, but not like that. Okay.
SPEAKER_08I mean, how much we yeah, we we actually do, and the commissioner certainly talks about um how how skilled our our our officers are in road policing, especially on the motorbikes. Um, we've seen some incredible driving from them before. Where does this sit? Somehow getting up to the first floor of a forest chase and it shows a few things.
SPEAKER_01It shows it shows the skill of the the officer involved. Um, you mentioned tenacity before, it shows that tenacity as well. But I think that's it that encapsulates across our agency. Like this was a prime example of an officer or a couple of officers doing amazing work, but that's day in and day out. So we see it across the metro area, we see it across Regional WA, we see it in our specialist services. Um, we don't like um when people commit offences against people. We hate it when people uh commit acts of family and domestic violence. So we take it personally. We want to get that result. We're not the mounties, but we'll always try to get our man or woman, depending on the gender of the person involved.
SPEAKER_08Absolutely, definitely. Um I I guess in in closing, then it might have been a little bit um confronting for some members of the public, um, but they are very highly trained, and and of course, community safety is always front and center um in in an officer's mind. I think it's fair to say that despite how dynamic it looks, the community was safe.
SPEAKER_03The community was safe, and you know, I commend the officer, his um his driving skills were exceptional. Um, he didn't take unnecessary risks that we could see. Um he had his lights and sirens on at all time so people could hear that he was coming. Um, and he maintained a safe distance and ensured that no members of the public were going to be in his way. So um whilst it may have been a little bit confronting, and we do appreciate that that would have been probably scary because it was a lot of people in the CBD given that we had the C city to surf, um, there was still a lot of people out enjoying the sun and enjoying the city. Um, it may have looked a little bit scary at times, but he you could see that he was well under control. It wasn't erratic. It wasn't the scooter was probably doing maybe 10-15 kilometres an hour, so we're not talking at high speeds that we were zipping through. Excellent.
SPEAKER_08Um, and Jade, you have a bit of um form when it comes to scooters in particular. Um, I I believe well let's play let's play the game. Uh can you guess this sound? Jade, uh you you you might have had something to do with that. Could you enlighten us as to what we just listened to?
SPEAKER_01Was that crashing e-scooters?
SPEAKER_08It was crushing crushing the crushing of of of the hopes and dreams of people who have broken the law on an e-scooter in a really dangerous way.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. Operation Moorhead has uh been was a great success up in June Light and across the metro area. And um I I dare say the fate of uh this e-scooter uh that uh Amber's talking about will uh will soon be under the wheels of the crusher as well.
SPEAKER_08So actually it kind of worked out really well that you were here early, Jay.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, yeah. Great. Excellent.
SPEAKER_08Well, Amber, thank you so much to you and also to everybody who was involved in that pursuit and bringing it to a safe conclusion. Um, you know, hats off also to obviously to our bicycle. I don't really, I was gonna say bicycle mounted police officers. Is it bicep a bike bike team?
SPEAKER_03Simple bike team.
SPEAKER_08Bike team. But then what about the motor? So the other ones are the motorcycle team?
SPEAKER_03Then you've got the motorcyclist, yeah, they're the motorcyclists and then we've got our bike.
SPEAKER_01How did he go keeping up though? Like he would have been pretty envious of the the you know the internal combustion. He would have been thinking.
SPEAKER_03I think he might have had a bit of slipstream behind the motorbike that might have helped him a little bit. Yeah, I think he was, you know, the the bike rider, but his little legs were going pretty pretty fast to keep up with the motorbikes.
SPEAKER_08Do they wear what do they have lycra?
SPEAKER_03No, they wear shorts though. They wear shorts.
SPEAKER_08They do have shorts and high-vis shirts, so I lycra that much more than the prospect of you know police issue lycra. Um, okay, I'm gonna stop now. Thank you, Eva. Uh, this is confidential. Well, I don't know if you've ever been boogled, but if you've had your house robbed, if you've had someone in your house, it is a terrible feeling. It's the worst. It is such a such a terrible feeling. They take things that you know you've worked really hard to get, they take things that have no monetary value often and end up throwing them away, but have you know irreplaceable sentimental value. Um, and of course, there's that fear, it's this one place in the world, and you know, the world can be a tough place where you want to feel safe, is your own home. And it can really mess with your mind. And I speak from personal experience if you get people who are are constantly targeting your house or or breaking into your house. Joined, of course, by uh the guy who was in the last segment, Jake Borow. He's still here. He's still here. Um, we tried to get rid of him, but it didn't happen. Tenacious, just like that um that officer in the uh in the forest chase chase. Correct. Yeah. Um and Jade, you're here to talk about burglaries specifically today. Uh you're based up in uh South London, otherwise known as Jundalub. Sunny Jundalub, God's country. Yep. And um you've had you have had a bit of a spade of burglaries up there, but you are doing a lot about it.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah, absolutely. I'll I'll echo your earlier comments. Like the stuff that gets stolen is certainly it's horrible for people to lose their possessions, but that losing that sense of security in your own home. Um you know, I I mentioned before that we've got great hoppers all around the place that take it personally. And uh all of our officers engaged in resolution of burglary offences take it personally. Um I can certainly talk for my crew up in Jundala. Um they are an amazing, an amazing team who um want to go and locate whatever's been stolen. They want to get their hands on the offenders and put them before the courts. Um but we have had a spade of burglaries, um, and our spade of burglaries has been quite particular in nature. Um it has been targeted um often um and it's targeted uh looking for a specific commodity which is off-road motorcycles. Yep. Um so we have had some success in locating uh and charging a number of offenders over recent months and weeks. Um we haven't had the success we'd like in terms of recovering um any of those stolen motorcycles.
SPEAKER_08So, I mean, if someone's listening and you know, 100% have a please crime stoppers, have a look. We've also got things on our socials, you know, help us solve these crimes regularly.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely, absolutely. And obviously the the motorcycles um are still out there, they're around. And so someone knows where they are, whether it's a neighbor, whether it's a a family member of a of a young person or any person who might have uh gotten their hands on a motorcycle, we want to know about it. Uh, and those calls can be completely anonymous to us as well. Um, but certainly many of those burglaries seem to have been um preempted by contact via social media. Um, and often the bikes are subject to sale via social media platforms. Um talking like Facebook marketplace various, various platforms. Uh, I don't want to say the name because um, you know, Mark Zuckerberg might get me. But um anyway, uh no, look, they are uh certainly those social media platforms and there can be contact asking about the bike, and then there's you know the ghosting that occurs once the person has your address. Or conversely, you might be advertising multiple things, a motorcycle and a sewing machine if that's your bag. Um, and they might you know inquire about the the the sewing machine, find out your address, and then um, you know, in the dead of night, um come to the house, enter via generally the garage, and before you know it, the bike has been wheeled out, um, and and people wake up the next morning to a bike missing and and obviously contacting police. Um sometimes, though, um, as we saw the vision earlier this week that we released to the to the uh the media. And on our socials. And on our socials, um, plug for the pod. Um, is uh people do um locate the offenders um in in the act and um obviously um you know take action from there. Um but ultimately, yeah, we uh we are asking the community to be really, really cognizant of security at home. You need to be aware um and do everything you can do to make the crook's life as hard as you can. So that's about you know not revealing your address, making sure your garage is actually locked, because most garages out there are closed but not locked. And it's relatively easy to get into most garages, won't reveal any methodologies, but um if people have a look at themselves at home or look at their own property, the reality is um they're quite easy to get into. So taking extra precaution around locking your garage, um, taking extra precaution around chaining up valuable motorbikes and those sorts of things. Um, and also thinking about things like trackers, like an uh tags and trackers, or something. They're not expensive, they're not expensive things. Um and the reality is that it can help us very, very significantly um shorten the time frame where we do go and locate those stolen bits of kit and locate the offenders and and put them before the courts.
SPEAKER_08Yep, yeah, no, absolutely. Um look, I I I know that um I think Marty Haim, the assistant commissioner for uh Metro, mentioned, I think at the start of the week that last week we we'd had something like 70 burglary charges laid. So it it it it it is actually it's a bit silly in this day and age with the capability that's gonna be a good thing. Burglaries are mugs game, absolutely. So correct me if I'm wrong, but there's something happening in this space that maybe most people don't realise. And and the commissioner often talks about the fact that burglaries are basically at an all-time low. No consolation to those who have been burgled, of course. One burglary is one too many, it sucks. But we are catching people, and we're I historically, the way I understand it, Jade, is that if if somebody committed a burglary, obviously that's that's a police matter to be investigated, but police will always prioritize the I'm in danger now, I need help, there's someone here with a knife. I come and help me right now. They have to. Have to. Absolutely. So the burglary does get seen to eventually. Um even though in those instances historically, like way back when, we caught a burglar, they go before the court, it's one, it's one burglary. Maybe, you know, maybe depending on the discretion of the court and their their history, perhaps maybe the sentence um for one burglary isn't um or the isn't significant. Today, with automatic number of plate recognition camera, we've got sort of graph analytics, those for sort of quasi AI for people at home. So basically, Jay, is it fair to say that these days, if you commit a burglary, and most burglaries are done by people who do multiple burglaries, you're gonna we we have the capability now to go, well, where's the pattern here? And instead of putting you before the courts for one burglary, we'll put you there before for 40. Oh, absolutely. And and then the the the sentence is significant then.
SPEAKER_01No, 100%. I look, I can I can say with absolute certainty that um, yes, isn't Commissioner Hames absolutely right? Um the number of burglaries resolved um over the last uh week was was huge. It was about 70. Um however, across the board, our resolution of burglary offences has never been higher. You're dead right, one's too many. Um, but we are resolving um a significant number of burglaries far and away in excess of the rate when I was a young detective running around. And what I'll say is there's a there's a shift in policing, policing mindset. Um, and the crews that we have that uh police burglary offences, our uh rapid high harm offender response teams, which we have across the metro area, are an amazing group of investigators. They are just top shelf. Hunters, they are that's their job, isn't it? The way that it absolutely is, but the way they think um is phenomenal. They are resolving so many burglaries through their initiative, through their analytical thinking, through the use of great tools that we now have in this agency. Um, you know, you mentioned ANPR, you mentioned CCTV cameras. Um, you know, we do a lot of work behind the scenes um that targets those that are committing burglaries, uh, and they get caught. And and don't forget that when you get uh uh convicted of a third burglary, there's mandatory sentencing that uh the courts will that will uh will come down on you. So um I said it before, say it again, burglary is a mugs game, um, and we're doing our part, but we really want everyone in the community to do their part too. Yep, make it as difficult or make it as hard as hard as you can. Um, you know, uh make sure that you're you know you you do a security assessment, have a look around. If it's if you think there's an easy way to get in, the crook will find it. Yep. And what we found is crooks are apathetic. They don't care which house they're gonna break into often, they'll go into the easiest one. So make yours the hardest one.
SPEAKER_08Kind of makes sense, really. I mean, if you don't want to go work for a living, you want to steal other people's stuff. It's sort of a it's a lazy person right there, isn't it? Absolutely, absolutely. Now, very last thing. So this is a bit of a grey area, but let's say, like we we saw in the footage, um uh, which I thought if you want actually, you know what, can you describe it real quick?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, what I what I'll say, it's uh uh it's uh someone woken up in the middle of the night with having a number of offenders in your property. Um, and uh that that young lady's reaction was very natural, and it was to confront the offenders. Um, and in that confrontation, whilst we don't really want that to occur, like the best advice I could give the community is jump on the phone, three numbers, zero, zero, zero, because it's an emergency and we will get there as soon as we can. There'll there'll be there'll be lights and sirens in your quickly. Yeah, absolutely. That's a priority. Um we throw everything at that. Yep. Um uh but in in her instance, she did go out into the garage. She demanded that these crooks leave her house, but then she she she scrammed the scrammed the streak down. She screamed um as loud as she could. She drew as much attention to that situation as she could. Uh, and um, you know, the reality. Is uh, you know, those crooks do what crooks do, they ran away.
SPEAKER_08Can we can we have a listen to it? Yeah, go for it.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
unknownGet out of my house! Get out of my house!
SPEAKER_08That um, yeah. Does she want to be a police officer? She'd be very should be anyone thought.
SPEAKER_01She'd be a very good one.
SPEAKER_08Uh, yeah, the being that that's a commanding presence right there.
SPEAKER_01What I'll say is this I would run. There's there's more to the footage that we didn't release as well. Yeah. Um, and obviously there's a couple of young kids in that house as well. And I'll just say I'll just say the bravery of those kids at that in that event as well. My hat goes off to them. I have spoken to the the uh the lady involved specifically about the bravery of uh of her kids, and they are some really, really brave kids. So um, but um you know that that footage just sort of goes to show um why police take burglaries so seriously, why we're imploring the community to do as much as you can to lock your own place up. Because it's dangerous.
SPEAKER_08There is a there is that element of what if I encounter the thief in the in the act like this. 100%. What if they don't run? What if they've got a knife? Yeah, and and that's what brings me back to that circling back to that grey area. Jump on the phone.
SPEAKER_01Jump on the phone. Three numbers zero, zero, zero, and leave the rest to us. Yeah, because it's um we're pretty good at it, and we'll get there as quick as we can. Um, and uh, and you know, that is the best thing you can do. Stuff can be replaced.
SPEAKER_08You can't. Um look, I just want to say thank you to you and to everybody up there in Junior Love, and also the members of the community who, you know, are keeping their eyes peeled, helping, helping uh you solve these crimes. Um and look, uh I I guess the message for those who taking things that don't belong to them.
SPEAKER_01We're coming for you.
SPEAKER_08We're coming for you.
SPEAKER_01We're coming for you, and we'll get you. The the stats speak for themselves, the results speak for themselves. Um that next knock on the door might be a bit louder and a bit more forceful, and it'll be us behind a door ram. I love it.
SPEAKER_08Thanks very much. This is confidential.
SPEAKER_09All units, the WA police force is looking for people. All commons of people. People in the tech, in the comedian, into formal drumming, dumb people, and horse people, people who like motorbicks, pushbicks, planes, helicopters, and bullets. People who are big on community, helping others and solving true crime, not just watching it, you know. Or doing extraordinary things.
SPEAKER_06If you can be one of these people, you found your people search Let's Join Force. Brad, thanks for joining us. Um, I'm guessing a report about a missing carpet python isn't something you'd normally receive across your desk every day, is it?
SPEAKER_00No, no. Um, we don't get a lot of jobs where animals get get stolen, and that's why this one kind of really kind of jumped out at us.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, right. Um, what was your first reaction when the matter did come to your attention?
SPEAKER_00Uh, not only the fact that it was a a stolen animal, but that it was a stolen snake. It certainly is not something that I've come across in what's been a fairly long career so far. Um, so it was something that we discussed amongst ourselves at the Warwick Inquiry team, uh, and we identified somebody on the team who is really loves her animals, uh, and we gave her the job to investigate.
SPEAKER_06Amazing. So it's an unusual case. At the end of the day, this is still a theft investigation, right?
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_06Um, how are p how are your officers approaching it?
SPEAKER_00Um so we've approached it from as we would normally approach uh a stealing offence, um, looking at uh CCTV, looking for witnesses, uh speaking to the owner, uh establishing the circumstances around how it was stolen, where it was, when it was stolen.
SPEAKER_06Okay. So Sid the Snake, he's a carpet python. Yes. You just describe what he looks like, how long is he?
SPEAKER_00He's about five feet long. He's uh around about nine to ten years old. Okay. Okay. Um and they do live from from what I'm advised to around about twenty to thirty years in captivity, captivity. Um but I'm sure someone with a little bit more uh knowledge around uh snakes can certainly correct me if I'm wrong. Um he's uh a yellow uh uh carpet python, so he's not venomous, he's um and from all accounts he's a very friendly uh snake. Um he's been with the owner for for a fair number of years now. Okay and he's kind of got a bit of a mottled colour. So he's a little bit different looking for a carpet python. Okay. Um and we do have a picture that we have obtained from the owner of it.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, so we've put that out on socials. It's up on the Crime Stoppers website. If anyone uh is interested, have a look uh on those uh on the gender light district social media page for the WA police and uh Crime Stoppers. And if you do see, what should they do if they see this snake?
SPEAKER_00Um if they do see the snake, then the best thing is to contact uh uh police or or crime stoppers and advise them the circumstances in which they've they believe they've seen Sid.
SPEAKER_06Um just want to circle back. When did this occur? Um and is there anything people should be looking out for and whereabouts as well?
SPEAKER_00Yep, so it happened on the 14th of August around about 10.15 at night. He was just uh Sid was just outside in in a tub, a black tub, that had some ventilation holes in the top, um, just outside a caravan, and someone's come along in a very short window of time and just taken that specific tub containing Sid. Um and Sid hasn't been sinned since. Um so if somebody's uh come into possession of those items fairly recently and put together an a terrarium to keep a snake since the 14th of August, and the snake fits the description as the one that's on uh uh the social media, then yeah, we'd certainly be keen to to hear from them.
SPEAKER_06Interesting. Yeah, yeah. Um, okay. We actually have an opportunity to interview um Mr. Childs, the owner of Cid. Um have a listen to what he had to say earlier.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, Sid's a carpet python, he's about five feet long thereabouts. He's quite a smarty python compared to most around uh Western Australia. Um so he's very, very different to the regular ones you see.
SPEAKER_06Um you mentioned off air, James, that um he's quite rare. Uh he's there's what, one of six in Western Australia, I believe.
SPEAKER_02No, he's he'd be about one of six or eight that are in collections in purse that are like him. Um a friend of mine's got some that are almost like him. Um he's quite unique in colour.
SPEAKER_06He's he's black with a bit of yellow. He's almost almost like he's a Richmond supporter, yeah?
SPEAKER_02Well, no, you know, we won't go that far.
SPEAKER_06But I mean, in terms of jogging people's memory, if you see a uh black and yellow um carpet python, he's uh he's he's quite unique in appearance, isn't he?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, oh yeah, lots of spots on the upper half of his body, go from about halfway up to the head, just seeing a few spots, and then the spots seem to disappear as you go down his bottom body and it becomes more of a half a parting pattern. Yeah, but very distinct very much.
SPEAKER_06You mentioned off air that um he's played a pretty important uh role in your life. How much does does it mean to you?
SPEAKER_02Oh, it's just been a great night for the last five years, and it's been the most gentle tonight, but that's a small one that I had that was a defensive. It's been the most gentle tonight I've ever had. I've put him down on the ground and he's just turning around the car, just right to me, just right. Um people and I do it about five times, and it's the same thing every time. Or do I kind of just try back to him? He's got a quite a beautiful snake.
SPEAKER_06He's got quite a nice temperament by the sounds, but you did mention as well he's not he's not a bitey snake.
SPEAKER_02No, he that doesn't bite at all. I've had him not bite, I've had him as all this sort of thing. You shouldn't do that with snakes. You don't kind of put them in your face just because of if the fact they do bite, they're gonna do a lot of damage to your bag if they bite.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02But we just would never even think of biting. Which is very not normal for that speech. But no biting whatsoever.
SPEAKER_06What would your advice be, James, if if someone was to find um Sid, what what should they do?
SPEAKER_02If they find him, contact either the police or uh Warwick police are dealing with it if I get my mate back, then that's all I want.
SPEAKER_06Okay, well, thanks so much for uh for joining us, James. And we really do hope that uh the Jundaluk police um come up with a solution, be able to get Sid back to you. And uh yeah, we're trying everything we can.
SPEAKER_02Well, thank you guys very much. I really appreciate all your help. And yeah, hopefully we can get him back. If we don't, then hopefully he's in a good home. You know, that's all all I can uh w wish for is I don't get then as long as he's being looked after properly, then that's all good.
SPEAKER_06Brad, pets, no matter what shape or form, they could be long and slithery, they could be fluffy and small, uh, or in my case with my dash hound very long. Uh Sid means a lot to James, right?
SPEAKER_00Oh, clearly. Um he's very passionate about reptiles and and snakes especially, and uh any pet owner that loses a pet, whether it be a snake or a rat or a dog or a cat, um, we find those to be the most um they tuck on the heartstrings of of everybody um who's had a had a pet. Um so yeah, it's significant that we try and get it back to to James.
SPEAKER_06Cool. Um your advice for anyone that has information, what should they do?
SPEAKER_00Uh they should contact uh crime stoppers uh and advise them on 1-800-3330 or online um to advise what they've seen or heard or what they're aware of. Um and then we can go from there and hopefully recover said.
SPEAKER_06Excellent. Thank you so much for coming up and joining us on the podcast. And uh good luck to the team and let's hope that we get a positive outcome with this one.
SPEAKER_00Thanks for your time.
SPEAKER_06This is WA Police Confidential. This is confidential. If you thought a stolen python was unusual, wait till you hear about our next case. Mundaring police are investigating the theft of two unique sculptures from a local park. The artwork disappeared under suspicious circumstances that's left investigators searching for answers. Police are now appealing for information from the public as inquiries continue. We're joined by officer in charge of Mundaring Police, Senior Sergeant Tony Signal. Boss, thanks for joining us. Thank you for having me. Um I was gonna say Tony Signal, because we just had the snake job, but um, yeah, I'll save the jokes for another time.
SPEAKER_05I'll take signal. Normally get uh called other things, but let's go with that.
SPEAKER_06Um, these are quite unique looking sculptures that were stolen when?
SPEAKER_05So they were stolen on Thursday night of last week. Um we've we've narrowed down the time. We first got reported at 7.30 in the morning on the Friday morning last week, and um we've managed to get some CCTV to narrow down what we believe is a time frame. So we're looking at about 12, 12:30 to 12.45 a.m. on the Friday morning of last week. Um, so yeah, really disappointing um that this occurred in our community, but yeah, as you said, inquiries are continuing and hopefully we'll get a result.
SPEAKER_06You mentioned just before we went to recording that um these are quite well known in the area and they mean a bit to the community. They do a tourist attraction.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, absolutely. So um we've we've posted on Facebook and and the Shire president Paige McNeil has uh put posted on her page and through the Shire of Mundering, and and there's um been a really um uptake of comments, and most of them are of um you know anger, disgust, um, disappointment that this happened in in the community of Mundaring. Um most of our comments are from parents of children who go there on Saturday mornings and after school, and the kids love to play with the in and around the sculptures, and and then some of the comments, and I didn't realise this is they were um installed in 1983. Oh wow, so then some historics, and and some of these parents are uh reciting their joyment when they were growing up going to the sculpture park back in the day. So yeah, it's a real connection up in the hill, and um, you know, I've only been the OIC for the last four months, and I've it certainly really resonated with me.
SPEAKER_06So if anyone's not aware what we're talking about, the photos are up on the Midland District police page, and uh we'll put them up on Crime Stoppers as well. Uh describing them, um how big are they?
SPEAKER_05So they are about um oh about 160 odd centimetres tall. So they're not massively tall, but they are a quite a large build. If the stat if you take um when you see the photos, you'll know what I mean.
SPEAKER_06But yeah, they look like a retired couple, yeah, they do. They're an old older looking gentleman, an older looking um woman, and that that one he looks like he's dressed for a trip to Bali. He does. Um then the lady looks like she's trip dressed for a trip to go shopping, but that they stand out, don't they?
SPEAKER_05They certainly do. And and and if anyone has seen them, they'll they'll certainly know that I've seen them. And um, you know, we we're we're suspecting that the the offender or the offenders are probably looking at uh this maybe a metal or the scrap metal and and whatnot. So, you know, we've contacted a number of the scrap metal places around Perth and and you know they're aware of it.
SPEAKER_06Before we wrap up, Tony, what what's your message uh to the community and how can they help um in uh resolving this one?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, like like I said earlier, the community has been really um positive and and you know, assisting police where they can. Um if they do see anything of suspicious nature of this of this um behaviour, especially in the small hours of the morning, you know, check your um CCTV cameras, any um dash cams or anything of the like. And no matter how small or how insignificant it might seem, give us a call at the Mundering police station. We're we're there, you know, between eight and four every day, uh, or the one through one triple four number, um, and report it. Uh we'll we'll certainly have a look at it. And um we we generally need the community's help in this.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, no, definitely. And um, yeah, hopefully, like you said, we can get a a a bit of a an outcome where we can get them back and get them put back where they belong.
SPEAKER_05So we can confirm that uh it was Friday, the 28th of August, that we can confirm that the suspects or suspects were in the vicinity, and it was the small hours at about 12.45 a.m. Okay on the 28th.
SPEAKER_06So people can uh go back through their footage, their dash cam, even if they're passing through the area. If they see anything suspicious, any vehicles or anyone around the vicinity of Sculpture Park, they can uh reach out to uh Mundering police or even crime stoppers.
SPEAKER_05Absolutely. And and you know, that time of the morning there is not a lot of traffic moving around, so you know, um hopefully they they stand out and we can get some information. Perfect.
SPEAKER_06You're listening to WA Police Confidential.
SPEAKER_08It is that time of the week again. It's probably bad news with Claire Sienta from Police Media Unit. Claire, what have we got?
SPEAKER_04Well, we've got a bit of a mixed bag this week, Joey. Okay, mixed bag's good.
SPEAKER_08Mixed bag is good.
SPEAKER_04So we sadly had there was a pretty serious alleged assault in Northbridge over the weekend. So on Saturday, um, about 2.30 in the morning, a physical altercation. It's alleged a physical alter uh altercation occurred between two men. Um one 35-year-old West Perth man was actually arrested and charged over that with grievous bodily harm. So a very serious, serious injury sustained to that um victim. So uh yeah, that one's before the courts, but uh good job by Perth police to respond quickly.
SPEAKER_08Excellent. Are we looking for people who may have seen anything? Okay, yes, one three, one, triple four.
SPEAKER_04Absolutely. Um, meanwhile, in Mandra, you may have seen some um pretty confronting um vision on the news this week. Uh basically, it it will be alleged that a 25-year-old man was approached by a group of unknown juveniles um in a car park outside a fast food restaurant in Falcon. Uh, an altercation ensued, and and that man was um quite seriously injured. He was lost consciousness and fell to the ground. And as a result of some inquiries, a juvenile male from Falcon has been charged with assault, occasionally bodily harm.
SPEAKER_08This is the one where they were throwing rocks. Yeah, okay. Yes, yes. So um a couple of things on this quickly, and rightfully so. I just want to sort of thank the media who, you know, shone a spotlight on this. Um, there were people who I believe were there who were witnesses to the attack, um, who who you know pointed out publicly, uh, again through the media, that they hadn't been interviewed by police. Um I think we should we should cop to that. And um, in in this instance, we we should always try as a police force uh to to to get witness accounts as soon as we can. However, it is fair to say that there are other means, investigative means that police sometimes are using. And in fact, they used other types of evidence in this instance, um, CCTV, that sort of thing, to bring those that initial charge against that that uh young person. Now, um the investigation will broaden out and we will speak to those other people. And there are other people potentially that may be looking at charges, other juveniles, and potentially as well. It also has been flagged as that the charges may even be upgraded against that that uh 14-year-old who um who's already been um uh charged. So um I think really we should be saying thanks to the community um for assisting us with this. Don't always get it right, but we do try.
SPEAKER_04Absolutely. And and it goes to the point if you do know anything particularly about this, get in touch because we'd love to hear from you.
SPEAKER_08Absolutely.
SPEAKER_04Um, and just lastly, over the weekend again in Northbridge, more than 9,000 drivers were tested for alcohol and drugs in a road policing lockdown.
SPEAKER_07Cool.
SPEAKER_04So um, yeah, there was uh quite significant numbers in that. So good and bad news, I suppose. Um 895 drivers were caught speeding. Which is it seems like a lot. It's huge in just two days. Um so 22 motorists were driving under the influence of alcohol as well. So some numbers there, but um, yeah, really good to see road policing out doing their job. But again, really encourage drivers to adhere to those road rules. Um, don't get behind the wheel if you're drunk or or you know, it's just not worth it.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, we're gonna catch you.
SPEAKER_04Don't know who could what could happen.
SPEAKER_08Well, yeah, it could hurt yourself, could hurt somebody else. Yeah. Um, so the good news this week then was all of the drivers we tested that were doing the right thing.
SPEAKER_04Yes, yeah. More than, you know, I'm I'm the fast majority. A lot a lot of drivers were doing the right thing, which is which is good to hear.
SPEAKER_08Excellent. Okay, well, Claire, um, if you could come up with some good news for next week, it'd be much appreciated. But we will see you next week with another installment of It's Probably Bad News. Um, we're just gonna keep on smiling anyway, uh, doing our job. And um this is confidential. Well, thank you very much for listening to another episode of WA Police Confidential. Um, keep your eyes peeled for Sid the snake who was stolen. Um in particular, um, it could be, I mean, he could be mistaken for a scarf, couldn't he?
SPEAKER_06He could be mistaken for a Richmond tiger scarf, yeah.
SPEAKER_08The Richmond Tiger scarf, because he's black and yellow. Black and yellow, that's right. Um on the topic of AFL, um, you're a big uh this is Australian football uh league. AFL if uh international listeners for international listeners it's a it's a game that maybe a cross between like Gaelic football and it's the only sport you get a uh point for missing.
SPEAKER_06Wow. Yep. If you don't get it through the big sticks in the middle.
SPEAKER_08Very dynamic, very dynamic uh sport. If you've never seen a game, I highly recommend it. Yep. Um now you're a big AFL fan, aren't you, Nate?
SPEAKER_06That's an understatement, yes.
SPEAKER_08And you have a particular team that you follow, don't you?
SPEAKER_06Uh it may be uh the team that are in the finals and are playing tonight, yes.
SPEAKER_08Okay, so um again, for those who don't know, we have uh a national uh league, and here in Western Australia. Australia. Uh we have two teams. We have the West Coast Eagles, who are kind of Perth nominally, and then you've got the Fremantle Dockers, which is kind of everyone else, really. Yeah. The Eagles and very sadly for them have had a not the best season. The Dockers are potentially um Grand Final contenders, potentially.
SPEAKER_06That's not jinx it.
SPEAKER_08So within our police force, of course, um we we are very agnostic politically, but uh there are there are of course allegiances, rivalries, and factions that you know who you support, the the Eagles or the Dockers. Uh Nate, you're obviously team dockers all the way. So we're gonna take us out of the show today because we are proud of the of the great work that the guys have done. And they do actually do a fair bit with us with the police force as well. They do emergency services round. Emergency services round. They're very supportive of us, so we want to be supportive of them. So we're gonna play their their song, their theme song, if you will. Um heading out of this segment. And win or lose, win or lose, we are proud of you guys. Yeah, you've done a great job. Um, before we do, before they potentially make history, knock on wood, we're gonna do our history fact.
SPEAKER_06Nice segue. I like that. Thank you. Thanks. Last week we teased uh on uh how the agency awards medals, um, but this is a slightly different um variation of the awarding of a medal. Um, and it goes back quite some time, 1932, in fact. Um, where uh so last week we teased on the awarding of medals within this agency and an unusual medal. An unusual medal, yeah. So this one, um the WA police force has a history uh where we've rescued intrepid travelers in the Outback.
SPEAKER_08Gosh, that's a intrepid travelers, intrepid travelers, say that ten times in a row.
SPEAKER_06Go on. Carolina Wilgers springs to mind. She was a uh missing traveller. Was she intrepid? I don't know, maybe she was a bit lost.
SPEAKER_08She was lost. She was lost. Uh that was that made international headlines, and we're very grateful that she she was found alive.
SPEAKER_06Yes, and um on the theme of uh German Germany, German people. Lost Germans. Lost Germans. Um, this particular medal uh was a German Red Cross medal that was awarded. So Constable Gordon Marshall led a search for two missing German airmen who were stranded in a remote part of the Kimberley for 53 days in 1932.
SPEAKER_081932? Well lucky, uh lucky. I mean, if it was 1939, might have been a little bit different between the water. A bit different, yes. So between the wars, between the wars.
SPEAKER_06Pronunciations here are going to get a bit a bit funny because we've got some German names. So Captain Hans Bertram and mechanic Adolf Klausmann. I think I nailed that.
SPEAKER_10But I believe I'm quite impressed myself.
SPEAKER_06There we go. We're flying to Darwin. Uh, when they got lost in a tropical storm, um, they had to make an emergency landing on the coast about 160 K's north of Wyndham. They had no supplies, they survived on eating lizards and drinking water from the aircraft's radiator. Some some serious survival skills there. Yeah, I reckon. Um, eventually they started walking to find help, but as we know, in um the largest policing jurisdiction in the world, um, yeah, their luck ran out and they're um they became lost. So their tracks were discovered heading south. Constable Marshall was appointed to lead that search with two other men, a pack of 20 horses and mules. Cool. Part of that search uh party. Uh took two weeks of trekking through difficult terrain, um, but they eventually did find the missing airmen. Alive. Alive. Wow. They were provided medical assistance, and once they were well enough, they were taken back to Wyndham. So the German government was incredibly grateful for these officers' uh assistance uh and rescue. So they decorated Constable Marshall with their Red Cross Medal.
SPEAKER_08Okay.
SPEAKER_06As a footnote, pilot Hans Bertram returned to Australia in 1941 under different circumstances. He joined the Luftwaffe during World War II and was shot down and captured in the Libyan desert. And he came back down under as a prisoner of war.
SPEAKER_08Oh, there you go. I was about to say, I was like, I regret that we saved him in a way. I mean, he joined the let's be honest, he was fighting for the Nazis. A bit of a twist. But he clearly sucked at flying, and um, I don't know, or or he had a real taste for lizards. He just wanted more lizards.
SPEAKER_07Lizard Olivia Desert. Lizards, yeah.
SPEAKER_06I mean, that's punishment enough, isn't it? Having to eat a reptile in the in the Australian Outback. But there you go. Uh look, next week we're gonna hear about another prisoner of war uh who put his artistic talents to use to survive a German labor camp uh and then go on to span a unique career in the WA police force.
SPEAKER_08Okay, so from one POW to one of the employees who was a POW. Well, we do have there's a there's a proud history um between the Westronian Police Force and military service, and there's some really cool stories of which we will delve into. Cool. Wow.
SPEAKER_06So there you go. You'll have to tune in next week to uh to find out how that all unfolds.
SPEAKER_08Yeah. Uh Lizards, snakes on a plane, um Nazis eating lizards. And from we're on that note, uh from losers, aka Nazis still are, always were were, and always will be, uh, losers. To winners. Yes, the Fremantle Dockers. Here's their theme song.
SPEAKER_06Go to the Dockers! Go Frio. This is WA Police Confidential.
SPEAKER_04Sound editing by Joe and Danny and Sam, cover song by the WA Police Pipe Band, and Cheesy Podcast theme music by Joey Catanzaro. By the way, why just listen to a podcast about policing when you could actually be doing it? Let's join forces.wa.gov.au.
