POLICE have put out an appeal for public assistance to help locate alleged offender Jayden Day following a series of offences in the Mildura area over the past week whose whereabouts are currently unknown.
Day was reportedly observed by Mildura police on Wednesday morning driving an allegedly stolen dark coloured Bentley, with a female passenger, on Biralee Avenue at about 7.20am.
A pursuit was initiated with assistance from New South Wales police as the vehicle travelled interstate, though it was subsequently dumped in the vicinity of Alfred Elms Road in Trentham Cliffs.
Police believe the pair swam across the Murray River back into Victoria, and while last seen on foot, police believe the two may have tried to gain access to a vehicle and could possibly be partially clothed following the river crossing, with Day last seen wearing shorts or underpants and no top while the woman was last seen in a dark coloured g-string underwear and a jacket over no top.
Police have spoken directly to a number of campers currently stationed in the local area in the event Day tried to approach them, while detectives have spoken to known associates and family members, and with the assistance of a Special Operations Group, have searched several properties.
Anyone who sights Day should not approach him and is urged to immediately call Triple Zero; it is unknown if he is still armed or has access to a firearm.
“Police have been working hard to locate the man since last week with the events this morning of a particular concern to us,” Superintendent Tom Nairn said.
“I’m urging the public to be on the lookout for Day and if they see him and his female associate not to approach him and call Triple Zero immediately.
“He has shown he has a propensity for violence and we are treating our operations as if he is in possession of the firearm from the 28 May incident and are approaching that risk accordingly.
“Investigators have been actively pursuing all available lines of enquiry and we are confident information from the community will assist us in locating those responsible, he’s been seen in the Mildura area several times over the past week however we know he is desperate to avoid apprehension and we can’t rule out the possibility he may travel to NSW or South Australia.”
Investigators are also appealing for Day to contact police himself or otherwise hand himself in at his nearest police station.
“I urge Day to do the right thing and come forward and speak with police before the situation escalates further,” Superintendent Nairn said.
“We know over the past five days or so he has had support from friends and associates in the Mildura area, and we strongly encourage them to also let us know if they become aware of these movements.”
Detectives from the Armed Crime Squad are currently investigating a series of incidents in the Mildura area over the last week which they believe Day was involved in.
These include an aggravated burglary and shooting at a Mildura residence on 28 May where a man forced his way into a Hawthorne Grove home just after 1am inside which a firearm was discharged toward a 25-year-old man grazing the top of his head and causing minor injuries, before the alleged offender left the property in a white dual cab ute.
The incident was not reported to police until the afternoon of the same day, and police believe the two parties are known to each other.
Detectives also believe Day along with a male associate was allegedly involved in an assault in Red Cliffs in the early hours of 2 June and believed to have jumped the fence of a backpackers in Indi Avenue around 1.50am before entering one of the rooms and assaulting a 61-year-old man to the head with a crowbar.
Police believe the pair arrived and fled the scene in a stolen dark-coloured Bentley coupe.
The victim was taken to hospital with injuries and has since been released, and a motive behind the attack is currently unknown.
A warrant was executed Tuesday 2 June at a Keam Street address where a 28-year-old Mildura man was arrested and taken to hospital where he remains under police guard.
Armed Crime Squad detectives have been in the area since the 28 May shooting and have been working alongside Mildura Crime Investigation and other local units trying to locate Day.
“I want to reassure residents that we have significant resources dedicated to this investigation and have a number of Victoria Police and NSW Police units working to locate Day without incident as soon as possible,” Superintendent Tom Nairn said.
Anyone with information about the incidents or the location of the accused is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppersvic.com.au.
