Victorian police cars rammed in separate attacks
POLICE are hunting for the thugs responsible for ramming Victorian police cars after three separate attacks in just over 24 hours.
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THREE Victorian police cars have been rammed in separate attacks in just over 24 hours.
The blatant disregard for the law began on Thursday night when a 16-year-old driver attempted to bait officers into a chase.
The L-plater, alone in the vehicle, was first spotted in Cranbourne driving without headlights and performing a burnout in front of police about 6pm.
It is alleged the teen then spotted the same police car on the South Gippsland Highway nearby, drove in front of it and then reversed, ramming it with the officers inside.
The boy was charged with conduct endangering serious injury and assaulting police. He was granted bail.
Another two rammings involved police attempting to intercept cars with false numberplates.
Both made their escape by driving on the wrong side of the road after ramming police.
The incidents take the total number of police rammings to over 220 in two years.
At 2.45am yesterday, officers spotted a pair of Honda Civics with false numberplates on Wellington Rd in Rowville.
One of the cars was later spotted driving erratically on EastLink. Police followed the cars to the Monash Freeway before intercepting one of the cars.
Both men inside were wearing masks. As police tried to arrest the driver he reversed, ramming the police car. The driver of the second vehicle then veered towards officers standing outside their patrol car. Both Hondas then drove off, one of them on the wrong side of the Monash.
An hour earlier in Sebastopol, a suburb of Ballarat, police spotted a vehicle with false numberplates that matched the description of a car linked to an aggravated burglary.
Police last night were still hunting the driver who rammed a patrol car head-on as the officers attempted to stop him, then drove off.
A short pursuit was terminated after the vehicle drove on the wrong side of the road. The car was later found dumped.
Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt renewed his calls for a new offence of ramming police to be legislated urgently.
Mr Gatt supports a minimum mandatory two-year jail term for the act.
“These criminals are aided by the knowledge that their high risk strategy is of little or no consequence,” he said.
“Every day we wait for legislative change to the offence of ramming a police car is another day that our members are further placed at risk of serious injury or worse.
“Member safety is not an issue we’re prepared to be patient on.”
In a statement, Victoria Police said it was “currently reviewing” the increase in the ramming of police vehicles.