CCTV footage could hold the key to catching the EastLink hitmen
Footage from Mooroolbark where hitmen torched a vehicle used in the cold-blooded freeway murder of father and local footy coach Paul Virgona could help crack the case, police say.
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CCTV footage of the hitmen torching the vehicle used to kill fruiter Paul Virgona could hold the key to catching the assailants.
The gunmen carefully planned their hit on the 46-year-old father of two, stashing a getaway car in a new housing estate more than 12km from the execution scene on EastLink.
But the estate is a known dumping ground for stolen cars and has been wired with security cameras.
Police said at least two hitmen tailed Mr Virgona from his Croydon home on Saturday morning, pulled alongside the underage football coach near the Mullum Mullum tunnel and opened fire with a high-powered weapon.
At 2.35am on November 9 the two men torched the Mercedes Benz c200 Sedan, used in the hit, at Jaxlee Court, Mooroolbark and drove off in a waiting VW Amarok.
It’s incineration was captured on camera.
The property had been fitted with hi-tech CCTV that notified the owner of movement outside the construction site.
He called triple-0 and reported details of the Amarok to police.
A witness said the offenders torched the car and fled in less than one minute.
“It was quick,” he said.
A police patrol spotted the Amarok on Windermere Dr, Ferntree Gully at 3.12am and gave chase.
After a 7km pursuit the offenders were forced to dump the Amarok at Marie Wallace Bayswater Park, ran into the park and were able to escape.
The dumped Amarok is being scoured for DNA evidence which could link the offenders to the crime.
Search and rescue teams spent yesterday combing Marie Wallace Bayswater Park.
It is believed investigators seized some items from their search already but they would not reveal what.
Homicide squad head Inspector Tim Day said while the hit was well-orchestrated police were confident they would soon make arrests.
“The message to the offenders is it hasn’t gone to plan,” Insp Day said.
“I have very little doubt that in the fullness of time they will be apprehended.”
The Mercedes has been confirmed as stolen but it is unknown if the Amarok was stolen or if it belonged to one of the offenders.
Mooroolbark resident Jamie Pointon was woken up by the Mercedes Benz car fire and said the new housing development had become a “dumping ground” for stolen cars.
“We saw the flames. Typical car fire, you wake up to the exploding tyres,” he said.
“Since this development went in six months ago, at least four vehicles have been lit on fire down Jaxlee Court.”
Traffic and CCTV cameras captured vital clues of the duo’s journey through the suburbs immediately after the 2.20am shooting.
However police are urgently seeking dashcam footage from cars that were travelling in the suburbs of Croydon, Ringwood East, Ringwood, Donvale, Mooroolbark, Wantirna, Bayswater and Ferntree Gully between 1am – 3.30am on Saturday.
Police want people to pay attention to the registration of vehicles in footage.
Insp Day said investigators would also try to unravel who else could be involved in the hit, paying attention to when the cars used in the hit where stolen.
“There are clearly going to be other persons involved in this, in the planning of this, potentially in the theft of other vehicles,” Insp Day said.
“They have an opportunity to come forward, they may only have one chance to do that.”
Police are working on the fact there are two offenders who fled the scene.
“It is a large park area (Marie Wallace Bayswater Park), the egress points are numerous,” Insp Day said.
“The two suspects have left the vehicle here in a hurry out on Mountain Highway and run through the park.”
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Police were still looking at what the motive would be to kill the father-of-two with no known criminal history.
A line of inquiry was if Mr Virgona was targeted by mistake.
“The victim is not known to the police, he is an innocent man going about his regular business,” Insp Day said.
“No person needs or deserves this sort of treatment, to be gunned down on a freeway.
“There will be a reason for this, we are just yet to discover it.”
Inspector Day said Mr Virgona’s family – wife Antonietta and his son and daughter – were devastated at his loss.
“They’ve lost a loved father, husband,” Insp Day said.