Father-son fugitive duo still on the run in Victoria

Two of Australia's most wanted fugitives are armed, dangerous and still on the run in mountainous country north-east of Melbourne tonight.

The hunt for father and son Gino and Mark Stocco is continuing in the area around Yea, but has also expanded to the town of St James, west of Wangaratta, where a highway patrol vehicle was rammed at high speed earlier today.

There are also NSW police manning the border towns. They are on look out for a car with both Victorian and South Australian rego plates.

• Second possible sighting of Queensland fugitives in Victoria

• The hunt for Gino and Mark Stocco

• Stocco duo 'hiding in plain sight': victim

Victoria Police has confirmed the vehicle involved in the ramming of the police car is not the same vehicle the pair were last seen in, but have not ruled out the fact that Stoccos could have been the ones driving.

They are continuing to search for the car involved in the ramming while also focusing their search for the wanted father and son.

The pair passed a police observation pointabout 1am on Thursday on a highway in Castella, heading north towards Yea, but police did not pursue their vehicle amid concerns the men are armed.

Police are confident they have cornered two of Australia's most wanted fugitives, Gino Stocco, 58, and his son Mark Stocco, 35, west of Wangaratta after they were spotted driving on a highway north-east of Melbourne. Photo: Supplied

Police believe the men have a high-powered weapon, which is why the officers who spotted them did not pursue or confront them.

"It was a tactical decision ... that police would not pursue these individuals under any circumstances, especially as a result of what happened in Wagga," Det Insp Campbell said.

After the early morning sighting, police on Thursday escalated their manhunt to include a helicopter search and extra checkpoints throughout a 100-square-kilometre area surrounding Yea.

This is the latest image of fugitive Mark Stocco. Photo: Victoria Police

The search zone straddles the Great Dividing Range and includes national parks, state forests and the towns of Yea, Marysville, Yarra Glen and Kinglake.

Police descended on the small town of Yea, about 100km north of Melbourne, on Wednesday after a duo matching the Stoccos' descriptions was spotted at a service station in Euroa on Monday night.

The Queensland men, who have avoided police for several years, are wanted for string of offences in Queensland and NSW.

57-year-old Gino Stocco. Photo: Victoria Police

The 57-year-old Gino and 35-year-old Mark are originally from Queensland and wanted for offences including the alleged firearm incident, theft, fraud and arson.

Gino's dad Peter Stucco, who lives in Far North Queensland told 7 News that he has not seen his son or grandson in more than three years.

Peter Stucco is ashamed of his son and grandson. Source: 7 News.

He said he was ashamed of their actions.

“Yeah I am disappointed,” he told 7 News. "I said a long time: 'change the road, change the position, change the job.

He noted that he told the pair they would end up in prison one day.

NSW authorities have described the Stoccos as armed and dangerous, but police in Victoria do not think they are a threat to the community.

"I encourage all residents and members of the public to remain vigilant, but they must go about their normal business," Det Insp Campbell said.

35-year-old Mark Stocco. Photo: Victoria Police

Police ask the public to report any sighting of a distinctive Toyota LandCruiser with a white bull bar and white rims, which, at this stage, is still bearing the NSW registration plates BV70WP.

Gino Stocco has brown eyes, grey hair and had a grey beard in police photos. His son has dark brown, medium-length hair and also had a beard. The latter was however seen cleanly shaven and wearing a cap at a service station on Monday.

Morning news break – October 22