Two of Australia's most wanted men remain on the run in rural Victoria despite a massive manhunt for the fugitives after they were spotted northeast of Melbourne.
Father-and-son Gino Stocco, 58, and Mark Stocco, 35, were seen by officers about 1am on Thursday on a highway in Castella, heading north towards Yea, but police did not pursue the vehicle.
Police believe the pair have a gun, and have used it before.
"It was a tactical decision ... that police would not pursue these individuals under any circumstances especially as a result of what happened in Wagga," Det Insp Ian Campbell told reporters.
It is alleged the pair opened fire on NSW police in two separate incidents in country NSW on Friday.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
After the overnight sighting, police escalated their manhunt to include a helicopter search and extra checkpoints throughout a 100-square kilometre terrain surrounding Yea.
The search zone straddles the Great Dividing Range and includes national parks, state forests and the towns of Yea, Marysville, Yarra Glen and Kinglake.
Officers are also patrolling the Lake Rowan area, which is 30km from the NSW border.
Victoria Police descended on Yea, about 100km north of Melbourne, on Wednesday following a sighting of a duo matching the Stoccos' descriptions at a service station in Euroa on Monday night.
The Queensland men, who have avoided police for several years, are wanted for string of criminal offences in Queensland and NSW.
NSW authorities have described the Stoccos as armed and dangerous, but police in Victoria do not think they are a threat to the community.
Police were earlier asking the public to report any sighting of a distinctive Toyota Landcruiser with a white bull bar and white rims, which had NSW registration plates BV70WP.
