POLICE fired three shots at a stolen car during a dramatic pursuit along back roads in Red Hill, Dromana and Teurong, Friday 2 March.
Two men in the car – and two others arrested earlier – were believed to have been involved in a carjacking and robbery the day before as well as another robbery, both in Rosebud.
In the first incident, two teenage boys were allegedly run off Waterfall Gully Road by a stolen Toyota four-wheel-drive about midnight, Thursday 1 March. They were chased away and their car, as well as wallets, phones and power tools were stolen.
The car was later found burnt out at Gunnamatta beach car park. In the second incident an hour later a couple parked near Rosebud Golf Club were robbed of their wallets and phones.
Police had previously charged an 18-year-old Mornington woman, and a 15-year-old Rosebud boy, with robbery, carjacking, criminal damage by fire and theft of motor vehicle over those incidents. Both are due to face court at later dates.
Detective Sergeant Peter Drake, of Mornington Peninsula CIU, said the men being sought by police – 26 and 22-year-old brothers, of Rosebud – were spotted in the stolen Toyota allegedly used in the previous incidents.
They were chased several times by police in marked and unmarked cars as well as the police helicopter on the Friday afternoon. Police were forced to withdraw at various times because of the danger to other road users.
A breakthrough came when the vehicle was found abandoned at a reserve in Karingal the next day, Saturday 3 March. Following a tip-off, police raided a house in Skye Road, Karingal, and allegedly found the brothers hiding in the roof space. They were arrested after a 40-minute stand-off.
Both were found to have been shot in the “mid-leg areas” and taken to Frankston Hospital for overnight treatment. They were last week remanded in custody – one at Frankston police station and one at the Metropolitan Remand Centre – on charges of carjacking, theft of a motor car, robbery and theft from a motor car.
They will appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on 4 April.
Professional Standards Command will look into the incident as is standard practice when shots are fired by police.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at crimestoppersvic.com.au online.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 13 March 2018
