Police hunt hitman in orange ute over slaying of Mokbel mate
Homicide investigators say the hitman who shot organised-crime-linked Mitat Rasimi — who was once part of Tony Mokbel’s drug empire — failed in an attempt to torch the stolen orange getaway ute he was driving.
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A gangland murder victim was stalked by a hitman in a stolen orange ute before he died in a hail of bullets.
In what shapes as a major breakthrough, homicide investigators now say the triggerman who shot organised-crime-linked Mitat Rasimi failed in an attempt to torch the getaway ute 30 minutes later.
Rasimi — who was once part of Tony Mokbel’s drug empire known as The Company — was ambushed at 9.55pm on March 3 in Dandenong. The burly 51-year-old was sitting in his Peugeot on Dawn Ave when he was shot repeatedly.
Severely wounded, Rasimi desperately drove for his life but ploughed into a pole and died at the scene.
Half an hour later, police say a solidly built man was seen trying to set fire to an orange Ford Ranger in Mcmahens Rd, Bangholme, about 5km away.
He was unable to finish the torching job because a witness disturbed him.
Emergency services were called and the ute was towed away for forensic testing, detectives later concluding it was linked to the Rasimi killing.
Investigators have released CCTV footage of the Ranger travelling in the Dandenong area around the time of the murder. They want the public’s help to establish who was in the ute and its precise movements during that period.
There are suspicions it was being used by the killer to track Rasimi before he pounced in Dawn Ave.
Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said police had been working on who wanted Rasimi dead and why.
“Mitat was known to police and he had connections to a number of organised crime groups, however the exact motivation for the shooting is still unclear,” Insp Stamper said. “Investigators strongly believe it was targeted but we don’t know who was responsible.”
Police are also keen to speak to members of the Albanian community about what they know, no matter how insignificant it might seem.
“Mitat had an Albanian background and we know he had a lot of friends and contacts within that community,” Insp Stamper said.
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“It is crucial that we try to piece together his last movements in the days leading up to his death, so we’re hoping that people within the Albanian community who might have seen him to come forward and speak to us.
“It could be something really simple. You might have seen him at the shop, at a friend or associate’s house (or) driving somewhere.”
Insp Stamper said anyone with information but who wanted to remain anonymous could pass it on via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppersvic.com.au