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The Manhunt For Australia's 'Modern Day Bushrangers'

How The Stoccos Evaded Capture, Frustrated Police
Fairfax

They're the "modern day bushrangers" who outwitted police for years.

Father-and-son fugitives Gino and Mark Stocco were wanted for eight years in three states over a string of property offences, but earlier this month went from small-time crooks to most wanted after an alleged shoot-out with cops in rural NSW.

That sparked a massive hunt for the pair, who allegedly dodged police for more than a week despite NSW and Victorian authorities throwing everything they had into tracking the duo down.

At one point it looked like the pair may have got away, with authorities earlier in the week conceding the pair could be anywhere within 800 kilometres of Gundagai.

But that all changed on Wednesday when the Stoccos where arrested by NSW police at an isolated property at Dunedoo.

Serial pests since 2007, the land and air search for the Gino, 57 and his 35-year-old son Mark, was triggered after they allegedly fired on police near Wagga Wagga in southern NSW on October 16.

Throughout their time on the run the pair evaded authorities in an allegedly stolen Landcruiser as well as altering their appearance, allegedly switching rego plates and using a flashing light on top of their vehicle's cabin.

They also took on back roads and bush tracks to get around check points set up to catch them, police said.

The fugitives were also thought to have supplies stockpiled around the region, and were allegedly armed with a high-powered rifle.

The Hunt for the Stoccos

  • Friday Oct 16: Stoccos allegedly shoot at police near Wagga Wagga
  • Sunday Oct 18: Landcruiser with rego BV70WP allegedly stolen at Little Billabong near Holbrook
  • Monday Oct 19: Confirmed sighting at Euroa
  • Tuesday Oct 20: 3 rego plates allegedly stolen from Tumbarumba caravan park
  • Wednesday Oct 21: Landcruiser seen in Bairnsdale, CCTV identifies pair at supermarket
  • Thursday Oct 22: Landcruiser rams police vehicle near St James, possible sighting on Melba highway
  • Saturday Oct 24: 150 litres of fuel allegedly stolen from petrol station at Gundagai, possible sighting Hagans Road Stratford
  • Sunday Oct 25: Police surround a property at Tarcutta but are unable to find the wanted men, unconfirmed sightings at Tarcutta
  • Wednesday Oct 28: The Stoccos are arrested by police at Dunedoo

On Monday, officers surrounded a property near Tarcutta, south-east of Wagga, after reports their vehicle was in the area, but police couldn't locate the pair.

Then on Wednesday, the pair was surrounded on a property at Elong Elong, near Dunedoo, and taken into custody by heavily armed police, who then came across the body of a man who is thought to have been missing for a number of weeks.

The pair was subsequently charged with a range of offences including murder.

The Queensland father and son had been wanted in a number of Australian states for a range of alleged criminal offences and were described by authorities as "modern day bushrangers".

Cops from Queensland, Victoria and NSW were reportedly searching for the two men since 2007, earning the men the title as Australia's most wanted father-son duo.

The fugitives allegedly robbed and damaged properties across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, and were also known for their hatred of police.

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