Bizarre ‘hoax call’ sparks emergency response in Grovedale

A Grovedale property owner has been targeted twice by mystery hoax callers, with the latest incident sparking an emergency response on Wednesday.

Emergency services responded to "hoax" reports of a person trapped in a hydraulics chamber in Grovedale on Wednesday. Picture: Olivia Conder

A bizarre hoax call claiming a person was trapped in a hydraulics chamber has sparked an emergency response in Grovedale Wednesday morning, wasting vital resources.

At least four emergency service vehicles responded to reports of a person trapped at an address on Euroka Ct about 8.40am.

Victoria Police leading senior constable Kendra Jackson confirmed just before 9.15am the incident was deemed a “hoax”.

At least four emergency service vehicles responded to the “hoax” call. Picture: David Geraghty

Owner of the property Adam Walker said it wasn’t the first time emergency services had attended his home following a prank call.

“A similar call was made from outside our home about two years ago, but we just brushed it off as weird,” he said.

“We think it’s coming from someone in another state, but we’re not sure what’s going on.”

Mr Walker owns a specialty concrete contracting business Re-Grind Polish, which he operates out of the Grovedale address.

He said he believed the incidents were “completely random”.

Four FRV firefighters were seen leaving the property and putting away axes just before 9.30am, while a police officer on scene said “nothing exciting” had occurred.

Grovedale homeowner Adam Walker said it was the second hoax caller incident in two years.

Data released by the Crime Statistics Agency revealed in the year to June 2025 there were 196 false calls to emergency services recorded in Victoria – up from 154 the year before and the most recorded in the past 10 years.

The volume of recorded “vexatious” calls to emergency services also reached its highest figure in the past decade, with 149 calls in 2025 – up from 103 the year before.

A person can face up to three years jail time in Victoria for making a false or vexatious call to an emergency service.

It comes after 34-year-old Lara man Tyler Russell Wood pleaded guilty in July last year to seven charges, when he made 215 calls to lure emergency services in order to source drugs and sexually assault paramedics.

His offending over two years was estimated to have cost taxpayers more than $320,000.

Originally published as Bizarre ‘hoax call’ sparks emergency response in Grovedale