Police at the scene in Glenroy where Antonio Loguancio is holed up inside a house. Picture: Ian Currie Source: Herald Sun
VICTORIA'S most wanted fugitive is cornered by police at a house in Melbourne's north.
Antonio ''Mad Dog'' Loguancio is believed to be holed up inside the property on Justin Ave, Glenroy, and refusing to surrender to police.
The entire street has been sealed off and residents have been ordered out of neighbouring properties.
Shocked residents stood on the street tonight as the full scale of the situation became clear.
One man, 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.''
Police at the scene in Glenroy where Antonio Loguancio is holed up inside a house. Picture: Ian Currie
It's understood the man, who would not be named, had already been interviewed and released by police.
Sources suggested Loguancio was by himself but it was not clear whether or not he was armed.
Special Operation Group officers arrived at the house just after 7pm.
Residents reported hearing police use a megaphone to urge Loguancio to come out.
One neighbour, Amhed Ali, said it was a scary situation.
''I was inside, I heard (them) yelling 'Antonio come out'.
Antonio Loguancio. Picture: Victoria Police
''I hopped under my bed because I thought I was going to get shot.’’
A police source told the Herald Sun officers were prepared to wait it out and were not doing anything in a hurry.
Police had urged Loguancio to come forward and hand himself in.
Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana said investigators believed Loguancio was still in Melbourne.
Mr Fontana said Loguancio had become agitated since police went public with a plea to find him.
He said there were concerns for Loguancio, his associates, police and members of the public.
Police are appealing for help from the public as the search for a dangerous criminal continues around Heidelberg, Victoria.
“We’d like to resolve this matter peacefully,” Mr Fontana said.
“Yes, we are concerned. We’re asking him to calm down and contact police.”
Mr Fontana had said officers had been in touch with Loguancio.
Police has appealed for him to hand himself without incident.
Mr Fontana said police had initiated the contact, but he would not reveal how.
"We have been in communication with him at various stages during the night," he said.
"We don't know where he is. We know that he hasn't gone bush or anything like that, but I won’t go into detail.
"But we don't know exactly where he is."
Loguancio, 40, was on bail on weapons and drugs charges when he allegedly attacked his de facto at the weekend.
But those charges were not enough to land him back in jail for breaching a court supervision order.
A warrant has now been issued for his arrest for breaching the order, made last March after his parole expired.
Senior police defended their decision not to go public about Loguancio's disappearance until five days after the alleged attack on his partner.
Commander Doug Fryer said police had been confident of arresting him quickly, as he was a "creature of habit".
- with Mark Buttler, Elissa Hunt and Anthony Dowsley
