A man accused of asking teenagers for their urine has been remanded in custody on firearms charges after police allegedly found a loaded gun stuffed down his pants.
Police allege 41-year-old Lukas Pilichowski approached teenagers at Highpoint Shopping Centre in Maribyrnong on Monday, requesting a sample of their urine to use to pass a workplace drug test.
Officers searched Pilichowski and they allege they found the firearm. He was arrested and on Tuesday after warrants were executed on his home in Maidstone
He has been charged with carrying and possessing a loaded firearm in a public place, possessing ammunition without a license and possessing a firearm as a “prohibited” person.
In the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday night, Magistrate Michelle Hodgson called the charges “very serious”. Pilichowski’s defence did not apply for bail.
Pilichowski, wearing a black pair of overalls, sat with his eyes downcast as Hodgson remanded him to appear before the court on June 16.
“I can see the look of concern on your face, sir but at this stage in time there is no application for bail tonight,” Hodgson said.
The accused was withdrawing from heroin and had a diagnosis of PTSD, the court was told.
He was arrested by police working as part of Victoria Police’s Operation Pulse, which has been deployed to shopping centres to crack down on crime at retail centres. More than 1500 charges have been laid since the operation began in December, with more than half of those for shop theft.
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Angus Delaney is a reporter at The Age. Email him at angus.delaney@theage.com.au or contact him securely on Signal at angusdelaney.31Connect via email.