Victoria Police have intensified efforts to locate 39-year-old Ismail Gaga, who is wanted on warrant over multiple charges, including allegedly breaching a court order, as investigators renew a public appeal for information.
Police say Gaga has links across Melbourne’s north and west, and is known to frequent Werribee, Broadmeadows and Melton, prompting officers to widen patrols and enquiries in those areas.
Investigators believe the public may hold crucial information that could help pinpoint his current movements or recent locations.
Gaga is described as approximately 165cm tall, of medium build, with a tanned complexion, short brown hair and brown eyes.
Police have released an image of him in the hope someone recognises him and can assist with information that may lead to an arrest.
Authorities are urging anyone who may have seen Gaga recently — including residents, local traders, transport workers and commuters — to report any sightings or relevant details.
Police say even small pieces of information, such as where he was last seen, the direction he was travelling, or any vehicle or associates he may be linked to, can be valuable to investigators.
Under Victorian law, theft of a motor vehicle is covered by Section 74 of the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic). In simple terms, it alleges that a person who dishonestly takes or appropriates a vehicle belonging to someone else, with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of it, commits an offence.
If proven in court, penalties can include substantial fines or imprisonment, depending on the circumstances and any prior history.
Criminal damage is a separate offence under Section 197 of the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic), which makes it unlawful to intentionally destroy or damage property belonging to another person.
Where the damage is deliberate — or reckless — the consequences can be serious, with courts able to impose jail terms that increase with the severity of the damage and the broader offending.
Police have stressed that members of the public should not approach Gaga. Instead, anyone who believes they have information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.
Anyone with information about Ismail Gaga’s whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online.
Wanted people in Victoria frequently attempt to leave the state or move interstate to evade law enforcement, although many remain in the area.
