Wicklow Ave Croydon: Man arrested after jumping into woman’s car near railway station

A man allegedly jumped into a woman’s car near a railway station in Melbourne’s outer east and allegedly demanded she give him a lift.

A man has been arrested after he jumped into a woman’s near Croydon railway station on September 13 and demanded she took him for a ride. File picture.

A man has been arrested after he jumped into a woman’s car while she was driving in the heart of Croydon and allegedly demanded she take him for a ride.

Maroondah detective Sergeant Ryan Wheeler said the incident occurred on Wicklow Ave about 9am on Wednesday, near Croydon railway station and Croydon Central Shopping Centre.

Sgt Wheeler said the woman in her 40s was stopped in traffic when the man suddenly walked up to her car and jumped inside.

The man then allegedly demanded the woman drive him somewhere, and they travelled to a car repairs business on Coolstore Rd where the woman stopped and the man got out and fled the scene.

Sgt Wheeler said the woman spoke to staff at the business and contacted police, who began a manhunt and located him nearby at 9.40am.

The woman was uninjured in the incident and Sgt Wheeler said the man made no threats to harm her.

He said while the incident was “unusual” for Croydon, the woman was “terrified” after the experience.

“Something like this doesn’t occur very often (in the area), but we received a good response from the public in those nearby businesses and patrolling police that located the man a short distance away,” Sgt Wheeler said.

The 32-year-old man, of no fixed address, was charged with car theft and false imprisonment.

Sgt Wheeler said the man was remanded to face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on October 10.