THEY TRIED TO CARJACK ME ON PRINCES FWY:
ATTEMPTED carjackings along the “lawless” Princes Freeway have again exposed the dangers of a Victorian “crime wave”, the Opposition’s police spokesman has warned.
The warning came after revelations that two Herald Sun staffers were targeted in apparent attempted carjackings on Sunday evening.
Herald Sun associate editor Andrew Rule yesterday described the moment he and his wife became the targets of an apparent attempted carjacking on the Princes Freeway, near Avalon.
Rule said a car with apparent police lights pulled him over, with a “rough tough looking young fellow of Middle Eastern appearance” who was clearly not a police officer approaching his car.
He said he sped away when he realised the man was not a police officer, and said he later discovered a colleague had also been targeted on the road about the same time.
Opposition police spokesman Edward O’Donohue said Rule’s claims highlighted “the dangers that now exist in Victoria”.
“(It’s) further evidence that carjackings are happening with regularity on the Princes Freeway,” Mr O’Donohue said.
“(Police Minister) Lisa Neville . . . should take proactive steps to bring this shocking lawlessness to an end.”
Ms Neville said police rarely received reports of attempted carjackings along the Princes Freeway.
“I have been advised by Victoria Police there have been very few reports of violent incidents on the Geelong Road (Princes Freeway) over the last 18 months but there is no doubt that any attempted carjacking is terrible, can cause fear and have a long-term impact,” she said.
“In response to the harm these crimes cause, we have brought in specific carjacking offences to ensure perpetrators feel the full force of the law.”
Rule said he believed carjackers were using the road to find cars to pinch.
His run-in with apparent carjackers comes months after former top cop Noel Ashby was targeted by tomahawk-brandishing teens along the stretch of road.
State Opposition Leader Matthew Guy in December claimed police were responding to about 20 attempted carjackings on the road each week.