Police move on the street next to an armoured police vehicle on Justin Avenue, Glenroy. Picture: Hamish Blair Source: Herald Sun
UPDATE: A SERIAL rapist involved in an armed siege with police says he?s innocent and does not want to go back to jail.
The standoff between Antonio Loguancio, 40, and heavily armed police has entered its 18th hour this afternoon.
Loguancio’s best friend Mick Collett has been in constant phone contact with the fugitive throughout the night and this morning.
He said the convicted criminal was a night owl and had no intention of ending the siege.
“He just doesn’t want to go back to jail for something he didn’t do - that’s all it is,” Collett told the Herald Sun.
Mr Collett said Loguancio should be enjoying a day at the Avalon Air Show with him instead of surrounded by police, who cornered him at 7pm last night.
“I wanted to take him to the air show,” he said.
Interested bystanders watch on the scene of the siege in Justin Ave, Glenroy. Picture: Jake Nowakowski
The armed fugitive’s brother and sister have been seen outside the Glenroy home today, but Mr Collett said Loguancio did not want to talk to them.
But Mr Collett said that Loguancio was determined to keep going, despite a lack of sleep.
“I know he is an a bit of an owl, he can stay awake,” he said.
Police move on the street with a police dog in Justin Avenue, Glenroy during the siege. Picture: Hamish Blair
Mr Collett said that Loguancio had been unfairly tainted by media reports.
“But he’s not a monster that people have made him out to be,” he said.
“We just talk like mates, I don’t tell him what to do,” he said about his talks with him today.
Police at the scene in Glenroy where Antonio Loguancio is holed up inside a house. Picture: Ian Currie
Loguancio, 40, has been holed up in a bungalow in Justin Ave, Glenroy, since 7pm last night.
A neighbour was told by police officers that Loguancio was believed to be armed with a shotgun.
CFA firefighter Steve Mack said brigades were called in as a precaution.
Police with a dog move on the street on Justin Avenue, Glenroy during the siege. Picture: Hamish Blair
“We were called on scene to assist the police with the siege because the person holdup in the bungalow threatened to torch the unit so we are on standby just in case he carries this through and decides to burn the bungalow down,” he told 3AW.
It is understood police believe Loguancio is alone inside the property, however he has refused to co-operate with officer's requests to surrender and has warned police he is armed.
Police have now spent more than 10 hours in negotiations with Logauncio after tracking him to the suburban street yesterday afternoon.
Antonio Loguancio. Picture: Victoria Police
Residents at the location of the siege in Justin Ave, Glenroy. Picture: Ian Currie
Victoria Police Superintendent Peter O'Neil confirmed at the scene that police suspected Logauncio was unarmed. However, this had not yet been confirmed, Supt O'Neil said.
"He's definitely alone in there as far as we're concerned," Supt O'Neill said.
"We know all of his friends and we've spoken to his associates and we're quite confident he is by himself."
Supt O'Neill said armed officers had negotiated with Logauncio every half hour throughout the night.
"We've been speaking to him straight through. He's been good, but he's been tense at times and he's had a few mood swings," he said.
"But overall he's been co-operative."
Armed police walk down Justin Ave, Glenroy. Picture: Jake Nowakowski
Police have blocked off all streets surrounding Justin Ave and have set up its main blockade at the corner of Melbourne Ave.
It is understood Logauncio is located inside a property about 50m down from the intersection, which has been surrounded by armed Taskforce operators throughout the siege.
Just before 8am a fire truck was seen approaching the barricades.
Police at the scene in Glenroy where Antonio Loguancio is holed up inside a house. Picture: Ian Currie
Curious Glenroy residents have begun to emerge and cluster outside the perimeters enforced by police tape, with a number of local children - guarded by their parents - taking to the streets tucked in their pajamas to inspect the siege engulfing their community.
Supt O'Neill said there were scores of residents still within Justin Ave, with only a small number choosing to be escorted from the scene by officers last night.
"They're allowed to stay if they want to, but some of them have made the choice to go," he said.
A resident at the location of the siege. Picture: Ian Currie
A neighbour directly behind the property Antonio Laguancio is believed to be holed up in told the Herald Sun he had been informed by officers the wanted fugitive was armed with a shotgun.
Joe Greco, 54, whose Maude St property is located directly behind the scene of the siege, said two armed squat team officers had jumped his fence at 6pm last night and continued to man the area.
"They explained they were police officers and said 'Oh, this shouldn't be long' but then at about 10pm one them told me it was confirmed he's got a shotgun," he said.
Police move on the street next to an armoured police vehicle in Justin Avenue, Glenroy. Picture: Hamish Blair
"I'm not fearful because there's lots of officers around, especially when they're in your backyard.
"(But) I just want them to do something so this can be over. We're sick of being stuck inside. It's shocking.
"The whole neighbourhood has to be inconvenienced because of some actions.
Police have blocked Justin Ave in Glenroy. Picture: Ian Currie
"Out of all the places in Victoria this guy had to come and and get held-up at the back of mine."
While Mr Greco has been warned not to wander outside his property, he is yet to be evacuated from his home and has chosen to stay.
He said he understood the usual occupant of the property Loguancio is trapped in is a woman in her mid-40s, however police have confirmed Loguancio is alone inside the property.
It is believed he is cornered inside a bungalow in the property's backyard, which Mr Greco states his 20m away from his backyard fence.
He said the owner's dog "usually barks night and day" but he had heard no sound from the property since 11pm on Thursday.
"It doesn't make much sense. It yaps, yaps, yaps and then suddenly yesterday I realised it was quiet. But then that's when I came across the officers," he said.
Loudspeaker announcements were heard echoing through the neighbourhood last night as officers attempted to coax the fugitive out.
Mr Greco said he heard a series of messages, such as "to the residents of 38 Justin Ave, please come out with your hands up" and "Antonio come out with your hands up!".
Mr Greco said the siege had further cemented his good feelings about moving suburbs in the coming days.
"I like to know who lives next door. It's becoming a terrible neighbourhood," he said.
"It's become a rough neighbourhood. You live in a community but most of the time you really don't know who is around you."
Police have stated they are in no rush to intervene with Logauncio and have openly expressed their tactic to sweat out the siege.
"Our intention is certainly not to present any alarm," he said.
"We've got no problem in speaking with him and waiting it out."
Frightened residents were ordered out of their Justin Ave homes and the street sealed off shortly after 7pm last night.
"I heard the police yelling for him to come out," neighbour Ahmed Ali said.
"I hopped under my bed because I thought I was going to get shot."
The tense stand-off followed a 48-hour hunt for Loguancio.
On Thursday, police appealed for help finding Loguancio after he allegedly assaulted his partner and breached a court-imposed supervision order.
The assault happened five days earlier but police defended the decision not to go public sooner.
They believed Loguancio could be caught because he was a "creature of habit".
A man at the scene who claimed to know Loguancio said he wouldn't give up without a fight.
"I'm staying here to see what happens," he said. "It won't be pretty.
"He's not going back to jail, he told me that."
It is understood the man, who would not be named, had already been interviewed by police.
A friend said he hoped he could talk Loguancio out of doing something reckless.
Special Operations Group officers arrived at the house just after 7pm.
Residents said police used a megaphone to urge Loguancio to surrender.
A police source said officers were prepared to wait it out and were not going anywhere in a hurry.
It is understood police dogs had been posted at the back of the property to deter Loguancio from attempting to escape.
Speaking before the siege unfolded, Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana said there were concerns for Loguancio, his associates, police and for the public.
"We'd like to resolve this matter peacefully," Mr Fontana said.
He had been due to face magistrates this month on weapons and drugs charges and an allegation of assaulting police.
Warrants have been issued for his arrest for the alleged assault on his partner and a breach of an extended supervision order, which commenced after his parole period expired in March last year.
The weapons and drug charges were not enough to have him put back in jail for breaching the order.
- with Andy Burns and Mark Buttler
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