Hamilton crime spree: Police allege stabbing, carjacking and armed robbery before pursuit

Detective allege a motorist was stabbed with a scalpel, a young family were victims of a carjacking and a chemist was held up during a terrifying few minutes on Beaumont St.

One man was stabbed with a scalpel and a mother had to flee her vehicle with her two young children following a violent carjacking and crime spree in Hamilton, police allege.

Detectives will allege that a 26-year-old driver was seated in his stationary vehicle on Beaumont Street about 5.50pm on Wednesday when another man opened the driver’s side door and demanded he get out.

“It will be alleged the man grabbed the driver and pulled him from the car, before a brief struggle ensued and he stabbed the driver in the chest with a scalpel,’’ police said in a statement.

“A short time later, the man allegedly entered a chemist on the same street before demanding cash from an employee and stealing drinks.’’

Police allege the suspect then walked towards the intersection of Tudor and Beaumont streets, opened the passenger side door of a white Ford Kuga, which was stopped at the lights.

He allegedly threatened the driver, a 33-year-old woman, with a scalpel.

“The woman – who had two young children in the vehicle – circled the block before the man attempted to undo one of the child’s restraints,’’ police alleged in the statement.

“The woman pulled over and removed the children from the car, before the man stole the vehicle and drove away.’’

Police saturated Hamilton and surrounding suburbs searching for the stolen Kuga before he was seen on Darby St at Cooks Hill about 7pm.

A pursuit allegedly began and continued through Merewether before the car was stopped at Flowerdale Ave.

The driver, a 39-year-old Queensland man, was arrested and later charged with two counts of robbery armed with an offensive weapon, aggravated robbery with wounding/grievous bodily harm and police pursuit.

He was refused bail and is due to face Newcastle Local Court on Thursday.