Malmsbury jailbreak victims demand answers from Premier

VICTIMS have opened up about the horror they experienced as young Malmsbury escapees went on a shocking and terrifying statewide 24-hour crime spree of carjackings, robberies, and a home invasion.

Victims of Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre escapees are demanding action from the Premier.

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YOUNG Malmsbury escapees went on a shocking and terrifying statewide 24-hour crime spree of carjackings, robberies, and a home invasion.

Seven of the 15 inmates who broke out on Wednesday afternoon were still on the run on yesterday morning, having gone on a rampage from Colac to Melbourne’s eastern suburbs overnight.

But by last night all had been rounded up.

In one incident, three escapees stormed a house in Mitcham in which two young children were sleeping.

They confronted the owner with a baseball bat and a machete and demanded he hand over his phone and the keys to a luxury Mercedes.

Hours later, at 8am, they were arrested 15km away in Ashburton, when police raided a house in Ambon St, seizing machetes, knives and bats.

Police linked street robberies and attempted robberies in Noble Park, Bonbeach and Moe, and a carjacking attempt in Berwick, to the escapees.

The last two escapees to be recaptured were nabbed in Colac at 2.45pm after a chase.

We had a pursuit leading into Colac followed by a short foot chase before these two were arrested,” Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp said.

One of those who fell victim to the rampaging escapees on Wednesday said yesterday that Premier Daniel Andrews must make serious changes to reassert law and order.

Brooke Lee, 19, who watched in horror as escapees dragged her mother out of their car, told the Herald Sun she fears the terrifying incident will haunt her for life.

“I’m having flashbacks and feel really traumatised,” Brooke said.

“How can you just get over something this bad?

“I will never be able to forget the danger we were in.”

Brooke Lee, pictured with friend Shannon Prendergast, was with her mother when they were carjacked by the Malmsbury escapees. Picture: Alex Coppel

Her message to the Premier was to stop “beating around the bush” and to “take action”.

“My family is suffering while Daniel Andrews does nothing,” she said.

“The government has turned a blind eye, and now members of the public are paying,” Brooke said. “It’s time for some serious changes.”

Brooke and mother Amanda, 43, were driving in Elphinstone and stopped at what they thought was a car accident.

Brooke Lee’s mother, Amanda. Picture: Alex Coppel

“Five boys got out of the car and came to the driver’s side,” Brooke said.

“They opened the door and said get out of the car.”

When Amanda refused, a teen thug “twice the size” of her punched her in the head.

“He took the keys out of the ignition, reached across mum, undid her seatbelt, grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out,” Brooke said.

“Mum is in an awful state … she’s completely bruised and really traumatised.

“Why should we have to put up with this? Why should we now have to live in fear?”

Brooke said she had trouble falling asleep on Wednesday night, knowing most of the escapees were still on the run.

“I had nightmares. I kept dreaming that the car was ramming my bed — it’s just shocking,” she said.

Brooke said it was hard to understand how more measures had not been taken to prevent such a breakout.

“It’s not like this was the first time they’ve rioted.

“It keeps happening because they get what they want,” Brooke said.

“It (the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre) is not a prison … it’s childcare.

“Daniel Andrews should have done a lot more a long time ago … the youths are just out of control,” she said.

Also yesterday, another family who came face-to-face with some of the escapees told Seven News of their ordeal.

Marcus Hume had just returned home from a trip to the movies in Narre Warren with his two young daughters.

Some of the escapees are believed to have followed the family’s Audi.

Marcus Hume and his family. Picture: Channel 7

Mr Hume said he tried to fight off a knife-wielding carjacker believed to be one of the escapees.

“I chased him down the driveway to the getaway car, which he jumped into, which was a white SUV,” he said.

“I kicked the back door of the car in, and they sped off,” Mr Hume said.

One of Mr Hume’s daughters, Kaitlyn, said: “I was really scared, but I was just trying to be calm.”

Malmsbury escapees were also suspected of having stolen a white Suzuki from an elderly man who is grieving for his late wife and son.

Herman Klynhout, 83, had just left flowers on family graves at Harcourt Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon.

Herman Klynhout was on his way to visit his wife's grave when he was carjacked by the Malmsbury escapees. Picture: Alex Coppel

After he turned onto the Old Calder Highway about 3pm, he was confronted by four youths.

They took his car and drove off in it.

Mr Klynhout also lost his mobile phone, which was inside the car.

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@davidhurleyHS

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