Reservoir police station: Driver crashes stolen car through police roller door
A car driven through a police station’s roller door has turned out to be stolen. The man, who appeared to try and headbutt a police officer while being led away, is now in hospital under guard.
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A car that crashed through the roller doors at Reservoir police station, landing on top of a police car, was stolen.
Detectives are appealing for witnesses to the bizarre incident, in which the 28-year-old Reservoir driver struggled with arresting officers.
He was conveyed to hospital and remains there under police guard.
No charges have been laid.
Police confirmed the car had been reported stolen from Reservoir on February 10.
Darebin Superintendent Sean Woods said the ramming had left members at the station shaken.
“We’re getting used to the ramming of vehicles, this is something new,” he said.
“We don’t believe it is targeted at the Reservoir police at this stage … (but) targeted at police generally.”
Supt Woods said the man pulled up on the wrong side of the road and paused for five seconds before “deliberately driving through the roller door” at 10.50am yesterday.
“It took physical force to restrain him and once restrained he was quite compliant,” he said.
One officer sustained minor head injuries but didn’t require treatment, and Supt Woods said.
Police Minister Lisa Neville condemned the use of violence against police.
“Using a vehicle as a weapon against a police officer in any form has serious consequences and it’s unacceptable in our community. When people do that, it reflects on all of us, it puts us all at risk.”
More than 3000 Victoria Police officers are attacked each year, with a spike in gang bashings and car rammings, police figures reveal.
One in five police officers face violence while working as a result of the scourge.
Ramming of police cars has become so prevalent that officers are now being specially trained to deal with the threat.
Images from the scene show a four-wheel drive on top of a police car, wedged between it and a wall of the damaged building.
The police car’s bonnet has been flipped open and the front of the car crushed under the silver dual-cab.
The station had to be evacuated.
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The State Government introduced legislation last September that required courts to jail offenders who assault emergency workers for a mandatory minimum of six months.
“If you injure a police officer or emergency service worker, you can expect to go to jail,” Ms Neville said.
Anyone who witnessed the collision or has footage of it is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.