High-tech bail service had head office at door-handle factory

BailSafe was also nowhere to be found at a second listed address in the heart of Victoria’s legal district. The company’s mail goes to a post office box, according to company records.

Finding Oppy himself has also been a major headache for authorities as they attempt to track down his “clients” – alleged drug traffickers, gang members and money launders – who have paid thousands of dollars to be enrolled in a specialised program designed to keep them out of jail while they await trial.

Authorities were still unable to locate Oppy on Thursday. He also did not answer the door at his home in Melbourne’s west.

In the 24 hours since The Age revealed that BailSafe had collapsed and left an unknown number of accused criminals unmonitored, Victoria Police and the Office of Public Prosecutions have been furiously sifting through files to identify those released by magistrates and judges to the BailSafe program.

“We have since determined that this closure has an impact on eight current matters,” a police spokeswoman said.

“These matters are being individually assessed to determine the most appropriate course of action, including any immediate compliance checks that are required.”

Two sources familiar with the operation but not authorised to speak publicly said all eight accused criminals on bail would have their locations checked and be returned to court as soon as possible.

“Applications will be made to the court to vary or revoke the bail of accused persons who are subject to BailSafe conditions,” a spokesperson for the OPP said.

Kilkenny said bail could be revoked, but it remained to be determined whether any of the eight had breached the conditions of their court-mandated release in the at least week-long period since BailSafe is believed to have stopped operating.

In NSW, when the news broke that BailSafe had collapsed, the state government set up a review into the operation of private or for-profit bail service providers.

The Victorian government said the use of private bail providers was “not appropriate whatsoever.”

“I am going to do something about that,” Kilkenny said. “We are going to put a stop to the use of these companies.”

Asked how the providers had been allowed to operate without oversight, she said: “I am acting now.”

Kilkenny admitted the government was not sure how many private operators were providing bail services. She did not give a deadline for ending the practice but said that doing so was a priority.

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Kilkenny could not confirm whether all eight alleged offenders had been physically located, but said Victoria Police checks may include door knocking.

Earlier, shadow attorney-general Michael O’Brien said the BailSafe collapse was “another Labor bail fail” and described the unregulated sector as the Wild West. He said it was concerning that wealthier alleged offenders appeared to be in effect buying bail.

There is no accreditation or regulation of private bail services in Victoria, with at least two, including BailSafe, having had their operators charged with serious crimes since mid-2024.

In July, Oppy was charged with drug possession and then later with breaching a personal safety intervention order (those charges remain before the courts), but his business inside the courts was allowed to continue uninterrupted.

Nearly two years ago a Supreme Court judge expressed concerns about BailSafe’s operation.

In July 2023, the Supreme Court of Victoria heard a bail application for an alleged offender accused of firing a 12-gauge shotgun into a car window as part of an armed robbery. The applicant hoped to be released under the supervision of BailSafe.

“A difficulty is that Mr Oppy does not appear to me to have the requisite qualifications to diagnose a severe substance disorder and there is no properly qualified medical professional to make these assessments,” Justice Lex Lasry found.

“The arrangements to be made by BailSafe are almost entirely online.”

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