Great Southern man who allegedly removed monitoring device and evaded police arrested and charged

A Great Southern man who allegedly removed his monitoring device and fled from his home detention bail address in Northam has been arrested, and charged with a raft of new offences. Albany officer-in-charge Sen. Sgt Carlos Correia said that alleged incident started when police first saw Jake Thomas Hardie driving in the Great Southern about 1.30pm on February 17 after he allegedly removed his monitoring device and absconded from his home detention bail address in Northam. However, the 29-year-old allegedly evaded officers’ attempts to stop and speak with him, and led them on a car chase that lasted more than an hour. Sen. Sgt Correia said the police air wing was called to assist in the efforts to stop and capture Mr Hardie. Mr Hardie was eventually arrested in Williams just before 3pm. Minor damage was caused to a police vehicle during the incident, according to Sen. Sgt Correia, but nobody was injured. Mr Hardie was transported to the Perth watch house from Williams and interviewed by police before being charged with 11 new offences. These included two counts each of reckless driving to escape police pursuit, failing to comply with a direction to stop, no authority to drive, and driving a vehicle with forged, replica or false plates. Mr Hardie was also charged with removing, damaging or interfering with monitoring equipment to prevent or impede the monitoring of his location, stealing a motor vehicle and driving recklessly, and displaying insignia of an identified organisation in a public place. WA Police confirmed all the alleged offences occurred between February 6 and 17. Police issued a warrant for Mr Hardie’s arrest on February 10 after the 29-year-old allegedly removed his electronic monitoring device and left home detention, less than a fortnight after he was granted home detention bail by the Albany Magistrates Court on January 27. On February 11, WA Police confirmed they wanted the public’s help in locating Mr Hardie, saying he may be able to assist with an ongoing investigation. Mr Hardie appeared from police custody in Perth Magistrates Court on February 18, and was remanded in custody with bail not considered. He will next appear in Albany Magistrates Court on March 19.