Man arrested over disappearance of Victorian mother Karen Chetcuti
Police have arrested the neighbour of missing Victorian mother Karen Chetcuti in Melbourne, following a police pursuit this morning.
Michael Cardamone, who is believed to be the last person to see the missing Whorouly woman, was arrested in Ringwood around 6am.
A crime scene has been established at the 48-year-old's house and police search and rescue officers are at his property.
Homicide detectives are understood to have visited the home of Mr Cardamone, whose property borders Ms Chetcuti’s Whorouly home, twice on Saturday to speak with him, but he was not home.
Patrolling police came across him in a vehicle on Punt Road in St Kilda shortly before 5am today. The vehicle he was in was suspected of being involved in the alleged reported kidnapping of a 48-year-old Whorouly man on Saturday.
When police tried to intercept the vehicle in Reservoir a short time later, Mr Cardamone fled.
He was pursued by the police Air Wing until he pulled over and was arrested in Ringwood around 6am.
While he has been interviewed in relation to traffic offences, police are no longer looking for anyone in relation to the reported kidnapping.
Police are cordoning off a crime scene at a property in Whorouly as they search for Karen Chetcuti @7NewsMelbourne pic.twitter.com/lmVL4rkV6S
— Melina Sarris (@MelinaSarris7) January 16, 2016
Missing Persons Squad and Homicide Squad detectives are currently speaking to Mr Cardamone, who has has previously denied having anything to so with the disappearance of the 49-year-old mother, who was reported missing on Wednesday.
He told media told Fairfax Media on Friday that he spoke to Ms Chetcuti over his fence on Tuesday night.
"When I saw her she seemed happy. I was picking tomatoes," he told Fairfax Media.
"It's very stressful. I didn't have anything to do with it."
He noted Ms Chetcuti stayed there from 8.40pm to 9.15pm.
Police say the last confirmed sighting of Ms Chetcuti was at the Whorouly Hotel at 7.20pm on Tuesday.
She was reported missing by a concerned friend at 9:30pm on Wednesday and the missing persons squad began a search for her.
The 49-year-old's burnt-out car was found 20km away in Myrtleford early on Thursday morning.
The homicide squad joined the search on Friday.
"That's totally alarming to us, the vehicle being burnt in that fashion," Police Homicide Squad Detective Sergean Sol Solomon told 3AW.
"(She) didn't turn up for work on Wednesday, which is highly out of character for her.
"She's well known as being highly punctual, highly thought of and very efficient in her life."
Police have released an image of Ms Chetcuti's car to the public, and want to speak to anyone who may have seen it after 7:20pm on Tuesday.
The vehicle is a red 2004 Citroen Sara, with registration XWC 149.
Ms Chetcuti left her house lights on and her bag and purse at her Whorouly home when she disappeared on Tuesday.
It's understood the mother-of-two's mobile phone is missing.
Security camera footage of Ms Chetcuti at a Wangaratta’s Aldi store shortly after 5pm on Tuesday shows her wearing a cream or yellow tank top and a dark skirt.
Her two children, 14 and 15, are staying with their father, who is separated from their mother.
Ms Chetcuti is 175cm tall, of a medium build, with dark brown, shoulder-length hair.
Investigators are urging anyone with information to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report to www.crimestoppersvic.vic.gov.au.
News break – January 17
