A MAN and a woman on the run following a home invasion in Langwarrin and liquor store robberies in Carrum Downs, Rye, Cranbourne, Berwick and Clyde were arrested in rural New South Wales last week after a dramatic police chase in a stolen car.
The 24-year-old man, of no fixed address, and the woman, 19, of Cranbourne, were spotted by police driving a Mitsubishi Pajero 4WD at high speed on the Mitchell Highway, Orange, Sunday 10 September.
Police aborted their chase over “public safety concerns” but, about 15 minutes later, they saw the car on another road after it collided with a safety barrier.
They attempted to intercept the couple who allegedly reversed into the police car and then drove into an oncoming lane and across several paddocks, damaging 15 fences in the process.
The couple abandoned the car at a farm near Clifton Grove and made a run for it before being arrested. Police searched the car and allegedly found “several items believed to be stolen”.
Police will allege the pair, along with another man, 28, of Cranbourne East, terrorised the Langwarrin resident, Monday evening, 4 September, before punching and kicking him, threatening him with a Taser and then stealing his phone and car.
After the harrowing incident, the Langwarrin resident ran next door and called police. His Mazda sedan was then allegedly used in a $30 petrol drive-off in Carrum Downs. It is still missing. Earlier that day, the man allegedly stole five packs of bourbon from the Carrum Downs IGA liquor outlet and taunted the attendant to “call the police” when she challenged him. He then allegedly attempted to Taser her, but the weapon failed to fire.
Senior Constable Stephen Miotla, of Frankston police, said the man – possibly with the woman – then allegedly stole bourbon from four Coles liquor outlets, Wednesday 6 September, while armed with a knife.
After dumping the Mazda the pair stole the Pajero from outside a Cranbourne East primary school and drove through Canberra and into country NSW.
After being arrested, the man was charged with several offences including not stopping during a police pursuit, negligent driving, trespass, malicious damage, larceny and a first instance warrant.
The woman was charged with a joyriding offence.
Both were refused bail to appear at Orange Local Court, Monday 11 September.
Senior Constable Miotla said police will seek to extradite the man back to Melbourne at the end of any jail sentence he receives in NSW to face charges, including aggravated home invasion, aggravated burglary, armed robbery, theft of a car and phone, assault and making threats to kill.
Police last week were also seeking to extradite the woman to face court on similar charges.
Senior Constable Miotla said the second man in the alleged Langwarrin home invasion was arrested Thursday 7 September and charged with 13 counts, including aggravated home invasion, aggravated burglary, armed robbery, theft of a car, assault and making threats.
He has been remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in December.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 19 September 2017
