Teens charged after police pursuit of allegedly stolen car ends in wild CBD scenes
Police have charged four teenage boys, and one has been released on bail, after an allegedly stolen vehicle was tracked across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs before it was dumped on Bourke St Mall.
Police have charged four teenage males after tracking an allegedly stolen vehicle across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and CBD.
Police converged on Melbourne’s CBD on Monday afternoon after a dramatic 11km chase from Doncaster to Melbourne’s CBD, where the vehicle allegedly struck a pedestrian on Exhibition St.
The woman was taken to hospital for observation with non-life-threatening injuries.
The BMW, allegedly stolen from Doncaster on Monday, was dumped a short time later in the Bourke Street Mall and the four occupants fled on foot.
They were arrested a short time later outside a shopping centre on Lonsdale St.
A 17-year-old boy was charged with two counts theft of motor vehicle and theft.
He was bailed to appear a children’s court at a later date.
A 17-year-old was charged with theft of motor vehicle, conduct endangering life, drive in manner dangerous, drive speed dangerous, drive speed dangerous, unlicensed driving and fail to stop at accident.
He was remanded to appear a children’s court today.
A 16-year-old was charged with aggravated home invasion, aggravated burglary, (4x) theft of motor vehicle, attempted aggravated burglary and two counts of theft.
He was remanded to appear a children’s court today.
A 16-year-old from the Bendigo area was charged with aggravated home invasion, two counts theft of motor vehicle and theft.
He was remanded to appear a children’s court on Tuesday.
The pursuit began when police spotted the allegedly stolen BMW driving erratically on the Eastern Fwy near Doncaster about 12.30pm.
Good Samaritans rushed to stop the car from careening down Bourke St after a group of balaclava-clad males allegedly abandoned the vehicle during the police pursuit.
Witness Richard Haig told the Herald Sun he stopped the vehicle after the alleged offenders fled on foot.
“I’m leaning against this bollard on the phone over here. And then this car comes flying down here,” Mr Haig said.
“They’ve jumped out here (gesturing to a spot outside JD Sport on Bourke St) and the car’s still moving.
“So another gentleman and myself then ran to the car to stop the car.
“The car door was open, and the other gentleman, he jumped in and I held the door, he put his foot on the brake.
“And then 45 seconds to a minute later, then police come.”
Speaking of the alleged offenders, Mr Haig said they had obscured their faces.
“They’re covered. All in black, black clothing. Incredibly athletic.”
A Myer employee who witnessed the chase said the alleged offenders “legged it through the store”.
“The first couple of groups (of police) were full on sprinting. The rest were moving a bit slower. The guys looked to be masked.”
Five police stood guard around the BMW which sat abandoned on the Bourke St tram tracks just after 2.20pm on Monday.
The car’s back and front windscreen had been smashed, apparently by brave citizens who attempted to stop the vehicle.
Witnesses told the Herald Sun the group led police on a chase through Myer, before they were arrested inside Emporium.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the car had been stolen from the Boroondara area – which includes suburbs such as Hawthorn, Kew and Camberwell – on Sunday.
Premier Jacinta Allan labelled the incident “disgraceful”.
“This is disgraceful, dangerous behaviour. Victorians won’t tolerate it and neither will we,” she said.
She thanked police officers for acting swiftly to make arrests.
