Season 5

Mt. Thomas station is full of secrets. Maggie and PJ have come back from holidays deeply in love but determined that no one, especially Tom, will find out about their new relationship. Meanwhile, Nick and Adam have intercepted Dash's Confirmation Certificate as a fully-fledged constable in order to have it framed for a special presentation, and Tom and Chris are conspiring to organise a surprise celebration for Dash's 20th birthday. Into this web of intrigue comes a very distressed Elly Winslow, asking for police protection because her ex-husband, Danny Hobson, has just been released from prison in Queensland where he was serving time for sexually molesting his own son, and she is terrified that he will come looking for them.

Dash is somewhere out there in a bus with a group of school children, their teacher and an armed gunman, and the Heelers are feeling especially bad about it because they led Dash to believe that they've forgotten her birthday. When the bus is found abandoned, the Heelers must decipher both true and false clues in order to find the missing children.

Adam's mate, Wazza Tully, is in trouble; Mandy Barnes wants him charged with sexual assault after an incident at the Imperial where a drunken Wazza tried to grabs her breasts. Tom sends Adam to ""have a few words"" with his mate and warn him to stay off the grog - especially at the footy club fund-raising function tonight. The function features Justin de Carlo, an illusionist and stage hypnotist. All the Heelers are there, and some of them even find themselves up on stage as volunteers, as does Wazza. But when Justin suggests that his hypnotised volunteers go and kiss the person they fancy the most in the room, the whole town is astounded when Wazza heads straight for Adam and kisses him full on the lips! Although Tom is inclined to play down the situation the following morning, believing the less fuss the sooner it will be forgotten, Wazza demands police action, convinced that he has been tricked and defamed.

A new resident, Bob Barker, comes in to the station to report a burglary. This seems normal enough until Maggie and PJ realise that Bob has had, not his contents, but his whole house stolen. They go out to investigate the property which Bob claims he hasn't seen for five years (since his aunt left it to him in her will) and find only the stumps on which the house sat. The Heelers tell Bob and his daughter Pippa that they will chase up the matter but it could be difficult, considering the theft could have occurred any time over the past five years. Financially strapped, Bob wonders where he can now spend the night. Tom organises for him to work a shift at the Imperial in return for a room. PJ and Maggie get on the trail of the missing house but find every lead dead. The only local house moving company in town hasn't done that sort of business for years. The other avenues the Heelers pursue, such as crooks selling off the parts for money, are equally fruitless.

When a review team arrives in Mt. Thomas to decide if the station should be down-graded, the Heelers are thrown into a panic. It doesn't help matters that Nick is the subject of a ""Day in the Life Of"" by Tony Timms, and is doing his best to show that the life of a cop is a dull one. But then a woman goes missing and Tony starts to think that Nick is having an affair with her. Maybe Tony will get a nice, juicy article out of all of this... with Nick as the subject!

When a young man, Dean Hartley, is involved in an accident following a high speed car chase secrets unravelled. Dean admits to driving the vehicle immediately after the accident but later retracts the statement. PJ had taped the conversation and brings the recorder out to show Dean, but when he pushes the play button he finds that the tape is missing. PJ begins to investigate the tape theft but when he stumbles onto the true identity of Dean's natural mother he finds a secret much more shocking.

PJ has just received news that an Adelaide man suspected of brutally slaying his wife has used one of his credit cards in the area, so the Heelers should be on the lookout for him. PJ organises the team to alert all businesses in the area. At the pub Klaus meets Wade Knight, the man he claims caused the accident. Klaus tries to start a fight but is dragged away by Nick. Nick brings his father and Wade into the station. PJ and Maggie discover that Wade is from Adelaide - could he be the murderer? Dash aids PJ with the investigation into Wade's true identity. As they unravel his past they uncover a credit card scam that has penetrated both Victoria and South Australia. But the reason for Wade's crime is something no one has suspected and its discovery will put Dash in a life-threatening situation. Meanwhile, Nick is starting to feel really concerned about his father. Evidence is beginning to indicate that Klaus may be responsible for the accident.

PJ is stepping out in style - back in uniform as the Acting Sergeant. But this isn't the only change at Mt. Thomas police station. A new member has arrived; acting CI Deborah Hill and none of the Heelers seems able to make a good impression on her. Deborah is currently suing another member, Sgt. Bill Parker, for sexual harassment and tensions increase when she catches the Heelers talking about it behind her back. Deborah is taking over a case from PJ; a series a warehouse burglaries. PJ believes that a local, Johnny Rossitano, is behind them. He explains to Deborah that he has spoken to Rossitano's girlfriend, April, who has told him that Johnny has teamed up with two out-of-towners, Sean and Michael Murphy. The trio are planning to hit a warehouse tonight. Deborah doesn't think much of PJ's techniques or his information. PJ and Deborah continue to clash as they prepare to stake out the warehouse that night. Tom realises that something has to be done and so tells PJ to back off.

On the pretence of continuing their investigation into a farm vandalism case, Adam and Dash spy Nick having some trouble handing Zoe a ring box. Dash and Adam strain to see whether or not she accepts the ring but their view is obstructed. Could Nick be getting married? The Heelers' speculations about the probability of coming nuptials are interrupted by a distressing call. Zoe's horse has been hit by a car. Rushing out to the scene, Zoe is beside herself, wanting to put the horse out of its misery herself. Nick convinces her to put her target pistol down and leave it to the vet. Zoe's grief over the death of her horse is amplified when she is told that during the course of the Heelers' investigation they have spoken to a man at her home who claims to be her boyfriend, a Mr. Martin Bridport. Zoe flies into a rage - Martin had no right to be at her place, and he killed her horse! Martin denies everything but Zoe is adamant; her ex-boyfriend is the culprit.

The Heelers face some harsh realities when Dash believes she has stumbled onto a case of neglect. After nearly knocking down a child in the street, Dash searches for the child's mother who turns up hours later. Dash believes that the woman's gambling addiction has led to the neglect of her son. The mother is furious at the allegations and, in the face of very little proof, Tom tries to diffuse the situation. He explains to Dash that her job is to investigate crimes not accuse mothers of neglect. Dash approaches the social worker, Tim Ryan, who promises to look into the situation. But Dash won't be satisfied until the child is out of the woman's care. Meanwhile, Clancy and Leonie Freeman, an intellectually handicapped couple, are having trouble with their baby Rachel. Friends of the Heelers, they have been tricked into handing over all their money to a photographer/con man who seems to work just within the boundaries of the law.

Movie fever has hit Mt. Thomas with the arrival of two film producers, Rip and Jake Vaughan. They are intending to make a film about the town's local legend - an 1880's bushranger named Starvation O'Flynn. Meanwhile, one of the locals, Don Sparrow, is busy making a commercial for Keith Purvis and his new bulldozer ""Big Rodney."" This piece of film-making has not, however, captured the minds and hearts of the people of Mt. Thomas the same way as the Vaughans' soon-to-be epic. PJ's detective antennae go off the minute he encounters the Vaughans. He doesn't like them at all; but is it because they could be criminals or because he doesn't appreciate them gazing into Maggie's eyes? PJ's suspicion of the Vaughans increases when petty thefts are reported on locations they have surveyed for the film. Are they using the film as a front for a burglary racket? The crimes surrounding the Vaughans become more mysterious when Big Rodney is stolen and Don Sparrow goes missing.

Maggie takes on the responsibility of an assistant crown prosecutor in a criminal trial. Tom finds himself on the side of the accused, a woman charged with the brutal murder of her husband. The case seems like an open and shut win for the prosecution...but is it?

The Heelers' fears are realised when a woman suffering from Motor Neurone Disease is found dead. Her family's past pleas for her to be euthanised make Dr. Zoe Hamilton sure it was not the disease that finally ended her suffering. The Heelers begin an investigation into the death but everyone seems to have an alibi. The answers are closer than they think.

Strange things are happening in the Eventide Retirement Home. Valuables are going missing, one resident is found dead under mysterious circumstances and another endangers the lives of the others when he hallucinates after smoking marijuana. Are the two teenagers doing Community Service behind all the trouble? Or is there something sinister about Yvonne Dunn, the Administrator of Eventide, who seems to have a strange hold over her residents? Who's the person so desperate to get a place in Eventide that they're prepared to go to any lengths to get the existing residents to move to other Homes? As the Heelers investigate they learn that love is a powerful motivator for both young and old. But then the Heelers learn from Leila Clegg, also a resident, that there have been other thefts. Yvonne Dunn starts to look pretty suspicious herself. She claims she did not report the thefts because it unsettles the residents, and Eventide has lost several other homes recently.

A visiting troupe of boxers at the annual Mount Thomas Show causes headaches for the Heelers with brawling and a rash of pick-pocketing incidents. The boxers and their matriarchal manager, Bonnie Crossing, aren't the easiest people to get along with, or the most helpful. The Heelers just have to sit it out till the troupes move on. But it isn't that simple. When Adam and Dash go to talk to the boxers about the latest pick-pocketing incident, they are met with stirring and resistance. The situation culminates in Adam accepting a challenge from one of the boxers, Jimmy Cutlass, in what amounts to a grudge match. Tom is furious and forbids it. Dash and Nick, who both abhor boxing and see it as senseless and dangerous also strongly disapprove. But Maggie, PJ, Zoe and Chris can't see anything wrong with it, especially if it can be turned into a charity match to raise money for new mats for the local Blue Light Gym. Adam decides to go ahead with the match.

""Mr. Lucky"" is Enzo Fiorelli, a charming, charismatic and successful con man. Several years ago he defrauded most of Mt. Thomas' Italian community for everything they had, destroying their lives, ruining businesses and leaving a trail of grief and outrage. Enzo Fiorelli paid for his exploits with a long stretch in jail. Released, he inexplicably walked out of his witness protection program, blowing his cover forever, and returned to Mt. Thomas. The Heelers struggle to keep a lid on the community's righteous resentment for the man who caused so many of them so much pain. At first it's only hate mail, and then it's a brick through the windscreen of Enzo's expensive car… but then it's a bullet through one of his tyres. Is it the community? Is it Enzo himself, trying to get the Heelers to give him full-time protection? And why has he returned to Mt. Thomas, where there is so much hatred directed towards him.

Sally Downie, the woman in Tom's life, has been abducted and the Heelers suspect the same two violent criminals who are holding hostage the daughter of a local con man. But when the girl escapes, the Heelers realise they may have misread the situation. Sally is still in danger and Tom must lead a desperate search to save her life.

Adam and Dash find Tony Timms, intrepid reporter for the Mt. Thomas Gazette, dazed and injured on the riverbank while they are investigating a reported explosion. Tony's camera has gone but he won't say who attacked him or why he was there. But the Heelers get a clue after they attend a charity fish dinner at the Imperial, all of those who eat the fish come down with food poisoning. Could it be that the Mt. Thomas River is polluted? Sure enough, the Heelers discover some suspicious looking barrels in the river. But Doctor Zoe's tests show that the drum contents had nothing to do with the fish poisoning. Meanwhile, Chris reports that the Akubra hat containing the money collected at the charity dinner has gone missing. The suspects include Keith Purvis and his new lady love, a local pig farmer. Or was it Jeanie, the cook, resentful of the implication that she poisoned the fish? And how was Tony Timms and his keen youth trainee involved?

Dash is befriended by a stray dog, but when she brings it back to the station, it tries to attack Nick and generally causes havoc. When Tom orders her to send it to the pound, Dash defies him, becoming almost obsessively defensive of the animal. Could this attitude have something to do with the news she has just received about her medical condition? Instead of obeying Tom, Dash advertises on local radio for the owner of the dog to come forward. Unfortunately, two separate contenders appear and, judging by the dog's attitude, neither of them is the real owner. What is going on? Dog attacks have been reported in the area, and the Heelers suspect Dash's new canine friend is the culprit.

Tom is faced with a dilemma when a mother asks him to protect her son, a convicted felon who is back home after an early release. The boy was responsible for the particularly cowardly armed robbery of a local real estate office which traumatised the owner's wife so much that she later committed suicide. Her husband seems a reasonable man, but could he be harbouring feelings of revenge? Someone has to be responsible for the threatening phone calls and broken windows the family is getting. The Heelers question an old associate of the son's and, by chance, discover him to be in possession of a stolen police gun. The news almost immediately brings Detective Sergeant Ben Stewart, from Organised Crime, to Mt. Thomas. He has been on the trail of these stolen police weapons for the past two years, and is excited to have a positive lead at last. Ben Stewart fits in very well at Mt. Thomas - almost too well for PJ's liking as he takes an immediate shine to Maggie and wants to ask her out.

PJ is pressuring Maggie to get out of her date with Ben Stewart as they are driving along the road from the local tip, when they notice a car that has run off the road. As they radio for an ambulance, they discover the real cause of the accident - the driver has a bullet through his head. Ben is immediately interested, convinced the unknown gun seller from last week may have been involved. He is particularly interested in finding a bullet from the gun to see if it matches one that was used to murder a police mate of his two years ago. Unfortunately, the only available bullet is in the driver's head. But when Det. Sgt. Peppy Romano arrives from Homicide, Ben starts to act strangely. Obviously these two have a history, but it is one they are unwilling to share with the curious PJ and Maggie. Peppy almost immediately announces his chief suspect as being the new wife of the brain-dead driver, citing his reason as the large life insurance held by her husband.

When Maggie and PJ are called to a wealthy grazier's to investigate a wool theft they are greeted by a mob of naked sheep instead of the empty wool shed they expected to find. The grazier points the finger at an ex-shearer and old time rival, but Maggie and PJ discover he is not the only person with reason to dislike the grazier. Other suspects include the recently sacked manager of the property and the grazier's own daughter who has her own powerful reasons to resent her father. As they Investigate the theft, Maggie and PJ discover a secret love affair between the daughter and the son of the man he most despises, the ex-shearer. Could the two of them be planning to use the stolen wool clip to start a new life together? The boy is a talented pianist and Dash's mum, Beth McKinley, is leading a group of citizens raising money for him to study music overseas.

When a visiting detective is accused of murdering a petty criminal and drug user, Maggie and PJ find their relationship under great pressure. The dead man was a vital link in the case involving three missing police guns and the discovery of Det. Sgt. Ben Stewart crouching over his body leads to suspicion that he is the murderer. Stewart has made no secret of his feelings for Maggie and he turns to her for help. While Maggie believes in Stewart's innocence, PJ can only go on the evidence.

Nick questions his ability to continue in the police force when he is duped by a sexual abuse case, and then makes a bad call in another related case when a woman asks for an intervention order against her ex-boyfriend, but Nick merely asks the man to stay away from her. When the woman ends up in hospital with a broken neck and her estranged boyfriend attached to her spinal halo, Nick must devise a way to bring the man down without further endangering the woman.

Tom and Chris' longstanding friendship is put in jeopardy when Chris finds a fifty-year-old journal in her cellar. The journal appears to have been owned by a young woman and Chris discovers that it is the true account of a romance gone wrong and murder. Chris brings the journal to Tom, asking him to discover the identity of the murderer and bring them to justice. There are no names used in the journal, but nevertheless Tom works out that the owner is a local spinster - the last person you'd ever suspect of hiding a murder for fifty years. Now that the owner of the journal has been revealed, Chris wants the investigation dropped; she doesn't want to see this woman put behind bars. Tom isn't keen on throwing the woman in the cells either, but a murder has been committed and he has no choice but to continue with his enquiries. This puts Tom and Chris, normally allies, head to head, with Chris aggressively defending the woman and Tom bringing her in to face the murder charges.

The rest of the Heelers are puzzled when PJ starts behaving strangely after a married couple is brought back to the station following a violent domestic. Maggie is especially worried, as it begins to look very much as though PJ is having an affair with this woman, a nurse at the local hospital. But what this woman really wants is PJ's help in breaking some bad news to her husband. PJ finally reveals this news to Maggie and explains what has prompted his strange behaviour. PJ hadn't thought twice in rescuing a bloodied driver from his mangled car and this woman has told him that she has caught HIV from a needle-stick injury while treating the same man. PJ could now also be infected and therefore so could Maggie. While they start their two-week wait for the results of PJ's blood test, the man is captured on a security camera holding up a service station with a syringe full of blood.

Mt. Thomas is in the grip of fear as a serial killer stalks the area. But as police from around the state work to bring the man down in an organised sting, Adam notices a bystander behaving strangely and, acting on his instincts, brings the man into custody. In one swift move Adam ends the manhunt and makes himself a hero. As the Heelers review the event, the discussion turns to the new technique of ""profiling."" Maggie has recently learnt about it in a seminar and Adam is fascinated with its capabilities. But Nick maintain that it was old-fashioned policing that had captured the killer the day before, and it'll be the same thing that catches another killer tomorrow. Adam's interest in the issue stays keen as he helps to investigate a quick succession of fires at the local primary school.

Ben Stewart returns to a permanent posting in Mt. Thomas, but he has been demoted to Senior Constable for punching Romano. However Ben soon puts the Heelers loyalties to the test when he becomes the focus of an investigation into the death of a local woman.

Maggie has convinced PJ to join her in buying a piece of investment land in her name. But when they arrive at the solicitor's office to collect the papers they find the solicitor dead. He has a gunshot wound to the head, the gun in his hand and a note on his computer which reads, ""I'm sorry I failed you all."" It seems undeniable that the solicitor has committed suicide. Have Maggie and PJ lost their $10,000? They are both eager to begin an investigation into the matter but Tom will not allow Maggie to continue because of her personal involvement. However, PJ stays on the case, safe in the knowledge that his investment, like his relationship with Maggie, will remain a secret. PJ does not hold great hopes of getting the money back, especially when it is suggested that the solicitor had a gambling problem. But Ben is anxious to help Maggie and vows to do everything he can to return her money.

Nick is awoke in the middle of the night by a drunken tour operator who reports that one of his clients has gone missing in the National Park. The Heelers question the woman's husband and their pregnant friend, but they say the woman fell behind during an evening bushwalk and just... disappeared. While the Heelers are conducting a thorough search of the park in daylight, PJ wants a word with Aussie Andy, the tour operator, believing that his drunken carelessness may have contributed to the woman's disappearance. But when PJ and Ben are climbing up the rocky bluff where Andy is supposedly searching, PJ falls and twists his ankle badly. Unfortunately their only radio was smashed in the fall, and PJ finds himself extremely grateful for Ben's help - especially as he has insisted that they carry on. Up on the bluff, Ben finds a lost gold earring.

A spate of false security alarms is keeping the Heelers on their toes. Tom is becoming increasingly frustrated with the owner of the alarm company, Roland Halliday, and his inefficiencies. If the Heelers are constantly being called to false alarms they will have little time left to pursue real crimes. Meanwhile, Adam is involved in a more pressing matter. His mate ""Croc"" Perry has been involved in an incident at the local fast food shop. Adam keeps him out of hot water and also makes amends with the shop proprietor, earning his gratitude - Adam's burgers from now on are free. Tom is unimpressed with Adam for exercising poor professional judgment by associating with the likes of Croc. Tom's disaffection worsens when Adam brings in free hamburgers for all the Heelers. In Tom's view accepting ""gifts"", no matter how small, is skating a little too close to corruption; nothing is free in this world.

Ben fights for the life of a suicidal teenager who has been in trouble with the law too many times. Ben believes that the boy's crimes, like the suicide attempt, are really cries for help and when the Heelers find him in a terrifying situation with his estranged father, Ben realises that the boy's life rests in his hands.

While out on a job Nick decides to give Ben the experience of one of Mt. Thomas's many fine restaurants - the Demirs' kebab shop. They walk in on a dispute between the owners and are shocked to learn that the conflict is over the arranged marriage of their seventeen-year-old daughter, Deniz. Nick is concerned that Deniz has been coerced into the marriage, but she assures him that she's happy to be marrying an older man she has never met. The Heelers are also investigating reports of a prowler peeking into ladies' windows and disappearing with items from their backyards. When Maggie and PJ arrest him, they discover that he is a Turkish national, an illegal immigrant who speaks no English. Deniz is brought in to translate and it is revealed that he is also party to an arranged marriage, but this one seems to be a marriage scam.

When Ben and Dash visit a farm to enquire about a spate of thefts in the district, they discover that those pillars of the community, the Frasers, are involved in a violent argument. Ben tries to resolve the dispute between father and son but is hampered by the Frasers' belief that what happens in the family should stay in the family. When Ben spots a black eye on Mrs Fraser he fears the situation may be more serious than he first thought. However, Tom refuses to believe that Mr Fraser would be capable of beating his wife. The conflict over this issue creates a tense situation for Ben and Tom as they begin to clash over issues of operational responsibility and initiative. As the war of words continues, Nick, as Sergeant, is brought into the argument. Ben wonders why many of Nick's jobs are done by Tom - does the Boss have reservations about Nick's competence or is he just holding onto the reins too tightly?

Chris Riley finds herself the target of big business when a representative of a large development group comes to town. He wants to demolish the Imperial and replace it with a huge shopping mall and is offering a very generous sum of money to have his way. Chris has her reservations but will the financial reward be too much for her to ignore? Meanwhile, Adam finds himself attracted to a Glamour photographer that he pulls over during a traffic blitz.

When Adam discovers that a car he has just purchased is part of a stolen car racket, his loyalty to his job and friends hang in the balance. Adam has to make a decision; should he own up and lose risking his money, or just keep his mouth shut? Some harsh treatment from Tom about Adam's handling of a spate of shoplifting incidents adds pressure to Adam's eventual decision.

Unexpected news from Zoe leads Nick to spring a surprise of his own - his resignation from the Victoria Police. In typical Nick style, he refuses to provide a reason for his resignation, hampering Tom's attempts to talk sense into him. But as the Heelers try to discover the real motives for Nick's strange behaviour an angry dispute over a parking ticket leads to the arrest of a chook farmer, the death of some chickens and the disappearance of a parking inspector. The chook farmer becomes the prime suspect, but investigations unearth a secret life and plenty of people with good reason to hate the officious inspector. When a wedding celebrant visits and Nick is sprung baking a wedding cake, the Heelers finally put two and two together to discover the truth.

Ben clashes with Tom when he finds himself championing the cause of Maureen Ritchie and her three foster children - in particular the two boys Scott and Jason. Ben's involvement with Maureen is made more intense because he is missing his own three kids and has concerns about his son's upcoming birthday. Ben is warned by Tom and Maggie not to get in too deep, but he is enraged when Maureen's neighbour, Herbert Fisher, is robbed and the finger is pointed at the two boys. There have been several incidents of vandalism in the street and Herbert has been waging a campaign against the boys; Ben is sure that he is trying to set them up to get them removed from Maureen's care. Herbert Fisher has made it clear several times that he wants the boys gone. But Ben and Maggie then discover that Maureen's estranged husband, Joe, also has reason to want to get rid of the boys.

Maggie's life is turned upside down when her brother, Robbie, shows up after having escaped from gaol. When she can't give him the help he expects, he takes off and the Heelers begin an extensive search. However, what appears to be a simple job turns into a frightening chain of events - a speed boat show goes terribly wrong and Maggie finds herself in a struggle to save the life of a five year old boy from the hands of a determined killer.

While she waits for the final test results of her cancer, Dash becomes drawn into a case involving one of her old and trusted school teachers. A surveillance camera catches Karen attempting to smother her baby girl, and when the video tape goes missing, Dash is immediately a suspect. When Adam is seen with the woman's husband, he is also placed under suspicion. As they fear for the jobs and worry about the upcoming doctor's appointment, Adam and Dash find comfort in each other's arms.

When a vital piece of evidence goes missing from the station, Tom has to face the unpleasant prospect that one of his team might be corrupt. As the accusations fly, Monica Draper arrives to conduct an investigation. Both Adam and Dash comes under scrutiny - both have a connection to the case and both had the means and opportunity. The stolen evidence, a videotape, incriminates Dash's ex-teacher - a woman who had a profound influence on Dash and convinced her to join the force.