The weird, dumb and vile Melbourne crimes caught on video in 2019

If a picture can tell a thousand words, video must tell more. Many crooks could be scot-free had it not been for a camera. From terrifying hold-ups to bumbling heists, here are some crimes revealed on film in 2019. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

If a picture can tell a thousand words then video must tell more.

Many of these crooks could have gotten away had it not been for the camera.

Here are some whose crimes – ranging from terrifying armed hold-ups, brutal stabbings and bumbling trampoline heists – were revealed on film in 2019.

BRUTAL CITY STABBING

Ice addict Josh Beattie stabbed a disability pensioner in the face during an unprovoked attack in Melbourne’s CBD.

Beattie, 30, was sentenced in the County Court last November to a minimum five years’ jail after pleading guilty to recklessly causing serious injury.

Beattie’s “swift and brutal” attack came after he asked his victim, Matthew Wilson, for a cigarette just before 9.30pm on November 2, 2018.

He stabbed Mr Wilson in the neck and stole his pension money, which was in his hat.

Beattie fled but returned, finished his cigarette and taunted Mr Wilson who was struggling in the doorway with massive blood loss.

Beattie was sentenced to a maximum seven years’ prison with a non-parole period of five years.

MUM CARJACKED BY GUNMAN

Ice addict Patrick McMillan was caught on camera dragging a woman from her car at gunpoint after leading police on a high-speed chase through Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

The County Court heard after a four-week drug and alcohol bender in November 2017, McMillan, 34, had committed “vicious, cowardly and terrifying” crimes.

As the father of two led police on a chase in a stolen car, he “drove at a breathtaking 200km/h”, Judge Gregory Lyon said.

“Your driving was highly irresponsible and reckless …(these were) disgraceful acts of violence,” Judge Lyon said.

“Your driving exposed countless members of the public to your dangerous acts,” he said.

McMillan had also attacked an off-duty policeman, an “appalling act of assault by intimidation,” Judge Lyon said.

McMillan was sentenced to 14 years and 11 months’ jail, with non-parole period of 10 years and 4 months.

BURGLARS’S DUMB SAFE HEIST

Dandenong Bob Jane T Mart owner Neil Finlayson called for more police on the streets after his business burgled for the fifth time in seven years in May.

Mr Finlayson said he was frustrated by “inconsiderate” criminals after the latest burglary left him with a $5000 damage bill.

Criminals drove up to the Lonsdale St business and attempted to rip the front door off with cables attached to their dark-coloured vehicle.

They failed and drove away but returned less than 15 minutes later with sledge hammers.

The masked crooks smashed their way into the shop and attached the cables to a safe in the backroom.

They attached the cables to their car and pulled the safe out before dragging it to the vehicle, putting it in the boot and driving off.

THIEVES BOUNCE WITH A STOLEN TRAMPOLINE

Blundering thieves stole a huge trampoline from a Waterways’ garden — despite the tiniest of getaway cars and a half-hour comedy of errors.

CCTV footage of the midnight heist shows the group made no attempt to dismantle the play equipment, using brute force and luck to push it over the fence.

The trio — two men and a woman — then wedge the 3.4m trampoline onto the top of a small hatchback car, realising they’ve covered the windscreen and jammed the doors shut.

The driver manages to prise open a door a little and squeeze himself in but the others are left to run behind the car.

The bizarre incident happened on February 10, 2019 and seems to have been an impromptu decision by the three thieves.

The crooks were driving along the street and stopped suddenly when they spotted the large springfree trampoline.

It took about 20 minutes for them to push the trampoline, valued at $2300, over the fence.

GUNMAN ROBS 7-ELEVEN

Terrifying footage of a ruthless menace threatening to shoot a Cranbourne North 7-Eleven employee was released to the public for the first time last November.

The footage shows Agoc Deng Shok, 24, storming into the 7-Eleven with a yellow plastic shopping bag and face covered with a green and white towel on January 7, 2018.

He strides to the counter — imitation gun pointed forwards — before placing the bag on to the bench as customers, except for one older man who seems unperturbed, flee the store.

The frightened attendant hands over the cash register tray and Shok hurriedly fills the bag with cash before fleeing the building.

Shok was to stand trial but changed his plea to guilty after Judge Meryl Sexton ruled the “lies he told police” could be entered as evidence.

He was sentenced in the County Court last September to a maximum of six years and seven months’ prison with minimum of three years and nine months after pleading guilty to several charges including armed robbery.

THE TOWERING DELUGE

Footage was released last December showing the moment a luxury Southbank hotel foyer is flooded and a panicked employee makes a run for the front door after a man turned on fire hydrants on 18 floors.

The video, from the foyer of the Experience Bella Hotel, which ice-addled bartender Bradley Vogt flooded during a drug-induced rampage, shows water seeping in from under a staircase door gradually increasing.

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A woman, presumably an employee, can be seen on her mobile phoning for help but eventually gives up as the water continues to increase.

The amazing video was released as Vogt was sentenced in the County Court over the incident, which ended with an estimated $1.55 million damage bill and more than 300 people without a place to stay.

Judge Martine Marich, in sentencing Vogt to two years and 18 days’ jail and a two-year community corrections order, said she was satisfied he “caused extensive and pervasive loss and damage as a result of your actions”.

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