GANG OF TEENAGERS STRIKES
‘I was completely terrified and I’m a pretty strong person’
WHEN Maddy Sears, 25, went late-night shopping with her boyfriend and mum, the trio never anticipated they would find themselves embroiled in a violent tirade, at no fault of their own.
After leaving Grand Central Shopping Centre at 8.30pm on Thursday night, Ms Sears’ mum left in a separate vehicle and saw a large group of people approaching.
Alerting her daughter to their presence, Ms Sears’ mum was able to avoid the group entirely as she passed through the lights on Margaret St.
Instinctively, Ms Sears locked the doors of her Toyota CHR as she exited the shopping centre’s car park onto Margaret St when the street descended into chaos.
The 25-year-old woman estimated a group of about 40 offenders started a violent brawl in the middle of the road, blocking the route for her to escape.
“I beeped my horn at them to try and get them to move and (about half of them) just swarmed my car,” Ms Sears said.
“They were bashing the windows, kicking the car, hitting the bonnet and roof and pulling on my door handle to try and get into the car.
“I think one of them must have been wearing knuckle dusters because there are now four big dings in the driver’s side of my car.”
Shocked and frightened by the situation, Ms Sears and her boyfriend had no option but to remain inside the car during the tirade which lasted about three minutes.
The large group of offenders eventually moved to the back of the vehicle allowing the couple to drive off.
“It was crazy. I was completely terrified and I’m a pretty strong person... it was like something you would see in an American movie,” Ms Sears said.
“All I kept thinking was imagine if I didn’t lock my car doors.
“(The crime crisis is) really sad but I honestly just feel so bad for the police …
“There was no way they