Savage bail conditions explained

The two brothers bailed last month after being accused of a string of local burglaries are no longer living on Phillip Island.

As part of their bail conditions, Joshua and Taylor Savage were released from remand to an address in Melbourne.

Detective Senior Constable Liza Burrows from the Bass Coast Crime Investigation Unit said as part of their bail conditions, the men were not allowed anywhere in Bass Coast or South Gippsland.

“They are not allowed to reside in Bass Coast or South Gippsland and they have to have police permission to attend here,” she said.

“They can’t stay overnight and there are very stringent conditions for them even attending here, let alone living here. They also have a curfew and are being well monitored.”

DSC Burrows said if the men came to the area in breach of their bail conditions, they would be back on remand.

“They wouldn’t get bail again,” she said.

Responding to community concerns about the men receiving bail, DSC Burrows said it was fairly standard for those accused of property crimes.

“I’m not surprised they got bailed, but we wanted to make sure we got the conditions we asked for – and we did.”

The two men are due to appear at the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on January 7, 2021.

DSC Burrows said the next three months would give the CIU time to put a full brief together for the court appearance.

“The prosecution will be asking for gaol time,” she said.

“We’re confident we have a strong case. It was a long process putting it all together, so we have to see what happens when it gets to court.”

The Savage brothers were arrested during dramatic early-morning raids in Cowes in August.

Police also seized cash, jewellery, a boat, motorbike, jetski and four vehicles.

At the time, Detective Peter Johnston of the Bass Coast CIU said the assets recovered had been purchased with money from safes stolen at 19 burglaries that occurred over a six-month period.

The brothers targeted small business operators, following them home and then removing safes containing cash and valuables when the victims were away from home.

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