A photo taken by an ASIO photographer, believed to be on the day of Mr Petrov's defection. Credit:David James Bartho/Fairfax Media A man at the residence said "you don't belong here" and Mr Petrov, in his drunken state, thought the remark meant he didn't belong in the country. A fight broke out, during which Mr Petrov's trousers were ripped off. The police were​ called and after being wrestled to the ground by four or five officers, Mr Petrov was arrested. He was taken to Southport police station and the arresting officers had recognised him from the extensive media coverage of his defection. At the station, Mr Petrov was adamant his name was Jack Olsen, which was a completely false name and not even associated with his new identity, despite officers telling him they recognised him as the famous former Russian spy. Eventually he was charged with drunkenness, however when paramedics arrived to treat him for a cut lip and bleeding nose he openly told them his real name was in fact Vladimir Petrov. He spent the night in a cell and returned home early the next morning to find his wife had slept through the entire ordeal.

Mrs Petrov being escorted by two Soviet officials onto a plane bound for Russia at Mascot Airport in April, 1954. The supposed arrest of the defected spy was leaked and it made national newspapers. Later police and government statements denied the allegations. However, official ASIO records confirmed it was indeed the former Russian spy himself. The Surfers Paradise incident was just one small part of the saga known as The Petrov Affair. It all started in 1951, with the arrival of Russian diplomat Vladimir Mikhailovich Petrov and his wife, Evdokia Alexeyevna. They were actually experienced Soviet spies. Vladimir Petrov and his beloved dog Jack in 1954, after it was stolen back from the Russian embassy by ASIO. Credit:Fairfax Media They were both assigned to the Russian embassy in Canberra. Mr Petrov's role in Australia was to decode intelligence from Moscow and establish a network of spies, as the Cold War was heating up.

Five months after his arrival, Mr Petrov was befriended by Dr Michael Bialoguski, a Russian-speaking Polish immigrant. On the surface, they both shared common interests of drinking and women, but Dr Bialoguski was also a part-time ASIO informant who had been ordered to persuade Mr Petrov to defect. Vladimir Mikhailovich Petrov. Credit:Fairfax Media Dr Bialoguski had acquired a flat in Sydney where he and Mr Petrov would often drink and entertain women, but this also allowed ASIO to collect intelligence and photograph the contents of the Russian spy's briefcase, once he had passed out from alcohol or being drugged. In 1953, a new ambassador arrived in Australia and the Petrov's fell out of favour. They were recalled to Moscow the following year, to depart by ship in April, where they would face an uncertain future. The Petrovs, pictured together in 1955 after their defection. They feared they would be assassinated by the Russian secret service for years. Credit:Fairfax Media

ASIO saw this as their chance to get Mr Petrov, so on February 21, 1954, deputy director Ron Richards came to Dr Bialoguski's flat and offered the former Russian spy political asylum in Australia. It took some negotiating, but on April 4, Mr Petrov officially defected. Once the Russians got word of the defection, they placed Mrs Petrov under house arrest at the embassy. On April 19, she was put on a flight bound for Russia. The first part of the flight saw Mrs Petrov and her two armed Russian minders land in Darwin for refuelling, this was where ASIO and local police hatched their plan. Mr Petrov confined to a wheel-chair and unguarded in a nursing home in 1991. Credit:Fairfax Media As Mrs Petrov and her minders disembarked, the Russians were disarmed and taken away. Mrs Petrov was then put on the phone with her husband, who the Russians had told her was dead, and just 15 minutes before the flight was scheduled to leave, she defected as well. Thanks to the extensive press coverage of the defections, Australians were overjoyed that the Russian couple would both remain in the country. The defections were portrayed as 'good triumphed over evil'. The Petrovs were given a new life, new identities and in exchange gave a wealth of valuable information.

After hearing of the defections, the Russians stole Mr Petrov's beloved dog Jack and kept it at the consulate. Mr Petrov cared for the dog so much that ASIO operatives later broke into the consulate and stole it back. It is believed Mr Petrov gave his name as Jack to police on the night of his arrest on the Gold Coast because it was the name of his beloved dog. The Russians also severed diplomatic relations with Australia after the affair, it would be five years before their embassy in Canberra reopened and another four years before an ambassador was allowed. The Petrovs went on to give evidence at the Royal Commission into Espionage in 1954, while Dr Bialoguski sold the story of his involvement in the defections to the newspapers and wrote a book. The Russian couple became Sven and Maria Anna Allyson and lived in Melbourne. Mr Petrov went on to work as a film developer and his wife found employment as a typist. They also published a book. In 1974, Mr Petrov suffered a series of strokes which saw him live the rest of his life in a Melbourne nursing home for 17 years. His wife visited at least once or twice per week.

Vladimir Petrov died from pneunomia, aged 84, on June 14, 1991. Evdokia Petrov died as a result of a back operation, aged 87, on July 19, 2002. Want more stories like this? Follow our Facebook feed.