Can you help police identify this man, seen at Tailem Bend?

Police have appealed for help from the public to identify a man who may be able to help with an investigation into incidents at Tailem Bend and two other locations.

The man appeared to have facial hair, to have been wearing a light grey hoodie and driving a slightly rusty Nissan ute.

SA Police did not say what kind of “incidents” the man might have been connected with at Tailem, Newton and Athelstone.

However, they urged anyone who knew him to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au, anonymously if needed.

If you do get in touch, use police reference number 25-0027M.

Woman badly hurt in crash at Monteith

A woman is recovering in hospital after a road accident at Monteith on Tuesday night.

A road train collided with a Toyota Kluger at the intersection of the Old Princes Highway and South Eastern Freeway around 8.50pm.

The driver of the Kluger, a 25-year-old Victorian woman, was fined for allegedly failing to give way.

One of her four passengers, a 28-year-old woman, was airlifted to hospital in Adelaide with non-life-threatening injuries.

The others, and the truck driver, were assessed at the Murray Bridge hospital.

Police closed the freeway's eastbound lanes for an hour and a half while they investigated, and are appealing for anyone else with information which may help to contact them.

Two arrested after Woodchester caravan crash

Police have arrested a man and woman from the Murraylands after a chase involving a caravan ended with a crash at Woodchester.

A Finniss man called police at 2.20am on Saturday to report that his Nissan Patrol had been stolen.

Officers soon spotted it going east on Callington Road, and gave chase.

However, they were soon overtaken – and allegedly almost sideswiped – by a Great Wall station wagon towing a caravan, which would also turn out to have been stolen.

The driver of the station wagon, a 35-year-old Wellington man, then lost control of his vehicle and crashed.

He initially ran away from the scene, but soon came back and was arrested.

Meanwhile, the driver of the stolen Nissan – a 30-year-old Murray Bridge woman – stopped to see what had happened and was promptly arrested herself.

Police charged the man with endangering life, driving while disqualified and illegal use of a motor vehicle; and the woman with illegal use, driving while unlicensed and breaching her bail conditions.

Both were kept in custody ahead of a court appearance in Murray Bridge on Monday.

Swanport Hotel staff member assaulted

A 30-year-old Murray Bridge man has been charged with assault, breaching a barring order and illegal interference after allegedly assaulting a Swanport Hotel staff member on Tuesday.

At around 11.45am police were called to the hotel on Jervois Road after the man was refused entry to the premises and allegedly assaulted a staff member.

The man fled from the area after police arrived, jumping over fences of homes before hiding in the boot of a car where he was located shortly after.

Following an investigation, the man was further charged with seven counts of shop thefts alleged to have occurred over the past 10 days.

The man is being medically assessed before he appears before the court.

Three burglars arrested, one charged with sacrilege

Police have charged a man with sacrilege after he allegedly broke into the Bridge City Church in Murray Bridge early on Tuesday morning.

Officers went to the Darling Avenue house of worship at 3.30am after an alarm went off and CCTV showed a man entering the building.

They allegedly caught him inside, in possession of books belonging to the church.

The 25-year-old Mount Gambier man was denied bail ahead of a court appearance later in the day.

The charge of sacrilege carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, in severe cases.

Anyone with more information about the offence should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au.

Police have also arrested two other alleged burglars during the past week:

• A 25-year-old man from Wild Dog Valley, near Naracoorte, who allegedly ransacked a music room at Murray Bridge North School at 4.45am on Friday; he was charged with trespassing and damaging property and was granted bail
• A 31-year-old Naracoorte man who allegedly broke into a Murray Bridge East home and stole a Holden ute on Friday morning; the ute was later seen hitting a gate, driving erratically on Magpie Drive, and finally dumped on the Karoonda Highway at Burdett; police arrested the man as he attempted to hitchhike away and charged him with trespassing, illegal use of a vehicle, driving while disqualified, driving without due care, and failing to answer questions

Both men will face Murray Bridge Magistrates Court on May 7.

Have you seen this e-bike?

Can you help police find the Cube e-bike pictured above?

It was stolen from a house on Mannum Road, Murray Bridge sometime on Saturday night or Sunday morning.

Anyone with information which may help police should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestopperssa.com.au.

What’s this all a-boot? Pair arrested for cannabis trafficking

A man and woman from Murray Bridge have been charged with drug trafficking after police allegedly caught them with a car boot full of cannabis over the weekend.

Police pulled their car over on the Princes Highway at Meningie at 1.30am on Saturday because its boot was open.

As officers approached, a man jumped out of the car and tried to slam the boot shut, but it popped open to reveal – allegedly – several freshly harvested cannabis plants wrapped in a brown bedsheet.

Police arrested both the 25-year-old man and 20-year-old woman and granted them bail ahead of a June 2 date at Murray Bridge Magistrates Court.

They seized the cannabis and some secateurs.

An investigation will continue.

Burdett man faces firearms charges

Police have charged a Burdett man with drug and firearms offences after allegedly finding five guns and 10 cannabis seedlings at his property.

A police dog helped officers search the property last Monday, March 17.

They allegedly seized two gel blaster handguns, three ordinary guns, gun parts, ammo and a stolen motorbike, along with the seedlings, which were allegedly being hydroponically grown.

Police arrested the 44-year-old on Monday and charged him with possessing the guns without a licence, possession of the ammunition, unlawful possession of the bike, and cultivating cannabis.

He was denied bail ahead of an appearance at Murray Bridge Magistrates Court later that day.

Anyone with information on illegal guns or drugs can report it to Crime Stoppers, anonymously if needed, on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au.

Rider arrested on stolen motorbike

Police have arrested a man allegedly caught riding a stolen motorbike in Murray Bridge on Sunday.

A highway patrol pulled over the black Yamaha on Riverview Road at 3.30pm and found it had been stolen at Lyrup in January.

Its rider allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine, too.

Officers charged him with illegal use of a vehicle, driving while unlicensed, drug driving and driving while unregistered and uninsured; directed him to stay off the road for 24 hours; and granted him bail ahead of an April 28 court appearance.

Also penalised by Murray Mallee traffic police over the past week:

• A 33-year-old Mannum man allegedly caught speeding while under the influence of drugs on Pallamana Road at Pallamana on Saturday; he lost his licence for three months and may face further penalty
• A 55-year-old Seaford Rise man who allegedly returned a positive drug test on Riverview Road, Murray Bridge on Sunday; he lost his licence and may face further penalty
• A 68-year-old man who allegedly had a blood alcohol reading of 0.141, nearly three times the legal limit, on Purnong Road at Mannum on Monday; he lost his licence for six months on the spot

Watch out for speed cameras in the Murraylands

Finally, SA Police will have a handful of speed traps set up locally this week:

• Murray Bridge: Adelaide Road, Mannum Road, Mulgundawah Road, Old Swanport Road, Swanport Road
• Murray Bridge East: Old Princes Highway
• Tailem Bend: Dukes Highway, Kulde Road, Mallee Highway, Princes Highway, Railway Terrace
• Wellington: Langhorne Creek Road

More cameras will be stationed down the Dukes Highway.