Ramandeep Singh fronts court over police chase and robbery

A crook who has been living illegally in Australia after his visa expired robbed a woman and then led police on a wild chase through the western suburbs.

Ramandeep Singh drove a stolen car on flat tyres and rims during a nearly 30-minute police pursuit in Tarneit.

An unlicensed driver who led police on a dramatic 30-minute pursuit through Melbourne’s western suburb after robbing a woman was working in Australia illegally.

Ramandeep Singh, a 35-year-old concreter of Werribee, was eventually boxed in by police and arrested in Tarneit in the early hours of March 30, 2024.

The Indian national pleaded guilty in the County Court on Monday to armed robbery, dangerous driving and driving without a driver’s license.

The court heard Singh had been living in Australia illegally since 2019 when his visa expired and worked as a concreter in Melton South.

Just after midnight on March 30, 2024, a woman was walking home along Heaths Rd at Hoppers Crossing after work when Singh followed her in a car.

Armed with a hammer, he got out and snatched the victim’s handbag and drove away. The Mitsubishi Lancer he was driving was stolen from a carpark in Richmond in early April 2023.

Ramandeep Singh was arrested after police boxed in the stolen Mitsubishi Lancer he was driving when he led police on a dramatic chase in Tarneit.

About 15 minutes later, police saw the car speeding along Derrimut Rd and checks revealed it was a stolen vehicle.

Multiple police cars and the Air Wing joined the pursuit after Singh initially failed to stop.

Singh continued driving with multiple flat tyres and rims on the wrong side of the road and attempted to overtake cars in residential areas.

Singh was boxed in and arrested on Polly Parade in Tarneit and taken to Werribee police station where he said he borrowed the car from a friend.

He said he robbed the woman because he needed money and didn’t stop for police because he was scared.

His lawyer Naomi Low said a week prior to the offending, Singh returned to drug use and had expressed shame and remorse for his crimes.

Singh will be sentenced on February 28.