Andrew Knapp fronts court over car theft and burglary spree

An unlicensed crook was “off his head” on Xanax when he went on a wild crime spree that ended when he rammed a police car and injured a cop.

Andrew Knapp has been sent to jail for a week-long car theft and burglary spree in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

A drug-addict’s week-long theft and burglary spree for cash to buy more drugs ended when he rammed a police car and injured a cop after he was cornered in a dead-end street.

Andrew Knapp, 20, was on bail when he targeted cars, cash and personal belongings in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, starting on September 21, 2023 when he broke into a house in Doncaster and stole $7000 cash.

He was sentenced in the County Court on Thursday to a non-parole period of three years and two months’ imprisonment on a raft of charges.

After stealing $7000, he approached the owner of a Kia and threatened her, saying “Do you want to try the gun in my pocket?” but was unsuccessful in stealing the vehicle.

Andrew Knapp targeted vehicles, cash and personal belongings during a protracted crime spree in order to buy ice.

A short time later, he managed to drive away in an Audi wagon, owned by an 82-year-old woman despite her efforts to stop him.

The car was located in Blackburn North three days later. Six days later, Knapp offered $5000 to a man who was selling his car on Facebook Marketplace.

Both men met at Blackburn North and during a test drive, Knapp threatened the car owner with a steak knife and stole his vehicle.

On the same night, he stole an Audi and cash and other items after breaking into a house in Nunawading. About 2.30am on September 28, 2023 two police officers in a patrol car spotted the stolen Audi bring driven erratically and followed him.

Knapp drove into a dead-end street in Nunawading, made a U-turn and accelerated towards the police car which had been moved into a gutter to avoid a collision.

Knapp veered to his right and slammed into the police car before he was arrested.

Knapp told Youth Justice that “It’s the stupidest thing I’ve done in my life. I feel very remorseful for the families. Even though I didn’t do much physical harm, I did mental harm”.

Judge Robyn Harper said before his arrest, Knapp had been using two grams of methamphetamine daily but this increased in the days immediately prior to his crime spree.

“Rather than reflect on the first episode of offending, you continued to use drugs and your offending escalated to involve a degree of planning to what could only be described as a relatively small gain,” she said.

“I must make it clear to you that neither the courts nor the community will tolerate this sort of behaviour.”

She imposed a maximum sentence of five years and two months.