By Rowan Forster
A gang of African appearance that held a victim at gunpoint during a horrifying Savage Street carjacking has been linked to the defilement of a Pakenham home just days prior.
Neighbours of a vacant property on Hayes Court are furious that the perpetrators – who damaged walls and spray painted fences – were not apprehended or identified by police.
The incident, on the last weekend of July, escalated to point where officers were reportedly called to administer capsicum spray on the men.
However, no arrests were made.
Hilda Staley said she was furious that police did not warn her or other residents about the presence of a gang, just days preceding the armed hold-up.
“When you’ve got people like that in your neighbourhood, it would be nice to have a heads up,” she said.
“If the community were warned, at least they’d be more careful and wary when they’re in the area.
“The poor man who had a gun held to his head would have had no clue that a house was trashed by a group of thugs in the next street just a few days before – and that’s wrong.”
Investigators said the victim, a 29-year-old Scoresby man, pulled into Savage Street and parked to look at his GPS about 2.40pm on Friday when he was approached by up to seven men.
They demanded he get out of his car and hand over his keys, wallet and phone.
One of the offenders then produced a gun and aimed it at the victim.
He subsequently surrendered his gold Holden Commodore, prompting one of the carjackers to drive off inside.
It is believed the other offenders fled on foot after taking cash and the phone.
One bystander told the Gazette the victim was devastated, running into Target nearby to alert staff.
“He was in a really bad way,” she said.
“The whole incident was really gobsmacking.
“They were gone in a heartbeat and he couldn’t process what had happened to him.”
Police confirmed the victim was not injured during the incident.
The stolen Commodore was dumped on Gallery Way, Pakenham later in the afternoon.
Detectives will undertake forensic testing on the vehicle.
The culprits remain at large.
It comes just over a week after a woman had a gun put to her head and was pistol-whipped in a carjacking in Narre Warren.
Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
