By Kyra Gillespie
Three alleged offenders from Pakenham, Dandenong and Cheltenham are facing serious charges after leading police on a dangerous pursuit across the South East while carrying a firearm and under the influence of drugs.
The Grand Theft Auto-style pursuit started around 1.30pm on Monday 1 April when a white Holden Colorado was stolen from Cranbourne while its owner was retrieving an item from the back of the car.
The trio was then seen travelling down Cardinia Road, Officer, where a Victoria Police Air Wing located and began tracking the stolen car as it travelled through Cardinia, Casey and Knox.
They then abandoned the vehicle, setting it alight before fleeing in a stolen grey Holden Commodore station wagon on Wellington Road in Rowville.
Police then followed the triad to the Cranbourne area, where they evaded authorities by turning into Robert Booth Reserve, Hampton Park before abandoning the station wagon and commandeering a Mitsubishi Triton.
Ammunition was located in the abandoned station wagon by police.
The hijacked Triton was then tracked into Carrum Downs, where it collided with a victim’s car at the Hall Road intersection, flipping the victim’s vehicle.
The offenders were then seen getting out of the vehicle with a rifle, which was used to carjack a blue Ford ute.
Due to the immediate threat to the community, police were authorised to give chase, pursuing the offenders into Cranbourne.
In a further attempt to evade police, the speedsters crossed onto the wrong side of High Street, disobeying red lights and splitting head-on traffic on the South Gippsland Highway.
The car was involved in a collision with three vehicles, after which members of the Cardinia Highway Patrol apprehended two males and one female, who attempted to flee on foot.
A rifle was found in the stolen
Robin Dzedins of Lynbrook, witnessed the dramatic pursuit.
“I was on South Gippy Highway going towards Cranbourne, turning left at Settlement Hotel in Camms Road,“ she said.
“It was very frightening, I was very lucky; had I been going straight ahead I would’ve been hit.
“I looked behind and saw bits of car he had hit flying in the air, and I was thinking ‘God, I haven’t been killed and hope no one behind me is killed.“
Robin believes around 20 to 30 cars would have been impacted by the reckless driving.
“There must have been so many people just affected by the accident; there were probably 20-30 cars at the intersection.
“He must’ve been in the middle of the intersection because there was a gap in the traffic. He was swerving like a maniac.
“Luckily there was a gap and one lane and that’s what he went into.“
The driver, a 26-year-old male from Cheltenham, tested positive to methamphetamine and had his licence disqualified. He was charged with aggravated carjacking, eight counts of theft of a motor vehicle, three counts of arson, three burglaries, three counts of obtain property by deception and eight counts of theft.
A 22-year-old Pakenham man was charged with aggravated carjacking, four counts of theft of a motor vehicle, arson, two counts of burglary, obtain property by deception, two counts of theft.
Both men were remanded to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 2 April.
A 21-year-old Dandenong woman was charged with two counts of theft of a motor vehicle.
She was bailed to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on 3 September.
Detectives are urging anyone who may have dash-cam footage or who may have witnessed this incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or alternatively make a confidential report via www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
