“Police are no longer searching for anyone else in relation to the incident on Bourke Street from January 28.”

The passenger of the car was arrested for a separate matter in Wyndham on Thursday afternoon and is assisting police with enquiries in relation to the Bourke Street incident.

Police allege Mr O’Donnell, who is known to frequent the Ballarat area, was behind the wheel of a car when it travelled along the mall in the centre of Melbourne in an alleged attempt to evade police, about 4.55pm on January 28.

The spokeswoman said police had attempted to pull over a green Mitsubishi Lancer on Swanston Street in relation to a traffic incident, when the driver fled.

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“The vehicle evaded police, and then travelled north on Swanston Street before turning down Bourke Street Mall, driving along the tram tracks before crashing into a bollard,” the spokeswoman said.

“A male passenger ran on foot towards Elizabeth Street and the vehicle did a U-turn back along Bourke Street towards Swanston Street.

“The vehicle was later found on Ashworth Street in Albert Park without number plates.”

Last week, Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said police knew who the car’s number plates were registered to and the identity of the registered owner of the early-model Lancer.

He said the secure Albert Park car park where it was found dumped could only be accessed by fob entry.

“Either someone has let that vehicle in, or the person driving the vehicle has been able to access that car park by way of a fob,” he said.

The incident reignited community concern after two murderous attacks within the past four years claimed the lives of seven people on the same shopping strip in the heart of Melbourne.