Metro commuter shocked to discover needles embedded in train seat

A teenager on bail has been charged after he allegedly jammed more than a dozen needles into a Melbourne train seat for unsuspecting passengers to sit on.

A teenager on bail has been charged after he allegedly jammed more than a dozen needles into a train seat for unsuspecting passengers to sit on.

The 16-year-old boy has been charged with intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury, assault, assault with weapon and committing indictable offence whilst on bail.

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The teenager is in custody and expected to appear at a children’s court at a later date.

Victim Anthony Artusa came across the nasty surprise while he boarded a Melbourne-bound Watergardens line train at West Footscray just before 8am Tuesday.

“Upon sitting down, I felt a prick in the back of my upper leg region. I checked my pockets thinking I had left something in there,” Mr Artusa said.

A passenger on a Metro trains was shocked to find about 20 needles poking out of his seat when he sat down. Picture: Anthony Artusa

“Turns out there were approximately 20 needles that were depressed by someone into the seat of the train that I sat on.”

“They were beneath the surface and once I sat on them, they pushed into through my clothing and piercing my skin.”

As many as 20 needles were pulled out of the chair once they were discovered but no other spots on the train are believed to have been targeted.

Pictures of the needles show them embedded in the seat with their sharpest ends facing upwards.

Metro staff are now scouring through CCTV footage and have inspected the train where the needles were found as they work to hunt down the person responsible.

“This is a terrible act of vandalism and we are thankful that no-one was injured,” a spokesman said.

The needles embedded into the seat. Picture: Anthony Artusa

“Metro has launched a full investigation into the incident and will work closely with Victoria Police.”

It comes after nationwide manhunt was launched last September to end the strawberry sabotage scandal in which dangerous needles were embedded in pieces of fruit.

DNA found on a punnet of strawberries in Victoria was used to charge a Queensland farm worker for the alleged contamination that rocked the strawberry industry and forced farmers to dump tonnes of fruit.

Last week, Victoria Police launched another investigation into needle tampering after a couple from Craigieburn said they found two small needles inside a bag of seedless grapes.

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