Manhole used in raid on panties

Alex de Vos
A Belmont man who allegedly stalked young women to photograph their underwear entered a victim’s house through a manhole in a garage, a Geelong court has heard.
Jason Boekel, 29, of Bridgeview St, appeared in Geelong Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday charged with offences including burglary, stalking and threatening to kill a policeman and his wife and children.
A mother of one of Boekel’s alleged victims told the court that between 2006 and 2008 jewellery and money had disappeared from inside their home and the manhole door had been moved.
The mother said she had not reported the incidents to police because she “didn’t know what had happened”.
But during an interview police showed the mother photographs of her daughter’s underwear.
The mother said she was “distressed and angry” that someone had been inside her home.
“I knew something unusual had taken place in my home – things had been moved slightly but I just thought it was the wind that moved the manhole,” she told the court. “I don’t want to think about it.”
Senior Constable Matthew Plunkett told the court police found 379 photographs of women’s underwear during a raid on Boekel’s home.
The underwear appeared to have been “strategically placed on beds” during alleged burglaries, Snr Const Plunkett said.
He told the court some photographs showed a gloved hand holding a firearm.
“There appears to be two different firearms in the photos and one of the firearms appears to be wrapped in plastic,” Sen Const Plunkett said.
He told the court that a glove similar to the one worn in the photograph had been found in Boekel’s home.
Senior Constable Matthew Sims told the court Boekel had threatened to kill an officer and refused arrest when police intercepted him last year.
“He asked what type of car he (the police officer) drove and said ‘I’m going to follow you home and kill your wife and kids’,” Sen Const Sims said.
“They went up to arrest him and that’s when he resisted.”
Boekel’s defence, Phillip Skeehan, told the court his client denied making a threat to kill.
The case before Magistrate Stephen Myall was continuing when the Independent went to press.