Melbourne couple fined after driving 30km to buy fried chicken in lockdown

One Melbourne couple had to fork out $3200 for what turned out to be an expensive fast-food craving. Photo / 123rf

A Melbourne couple craving some fried chicken got a little more than they bargained for when they were caught more than 30km from home buying it.

Police caught the man and a woman in St Kilda East on Thursday after they had driven from Tarneit in the city's outer west, a journey of about 34km.

The pair told police they had travelled to buy fried chicken.

Under the city's tough stage 4 lockdown Melburnians are only allowed to travel up to 5km from home to purchase essential supplies, including food.

The couple's craving for some tasty fried chicken cost them $3200.

The couple were among 76 Victorians fined in the past 24 hours for breaching the chief health officer's directions.

Despite a beefed-up "ring of steel" surrounding metropolitan Melbourne to prevent people travelling into regional Victoria where restrictions were eased on Thursday, only 10 fines were issued at vehicle checkpoints.

Among the others caught breaching the coronavirus restrictions in the past 24 hours were three men found in a car park with no legitimate reason for being there.

Another 34 Melburnians were caught breaching the curfew, while eight people failed to comply with the direction to wear a face covering.

It comes as the fine for being caught leaving metropolitan Melbourne without a valid reason was increased to $4957.

Police have now issued 10,753 infringements during Victoria's second wave when stage 3 restrictions were reinstated in Melbourne in early July, a total of more than $15.5 million in fines.