REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Saturday, September 29, 2007

A WOMAN was threatened with a screwdriver and a Gold Coast railway station car park was left looking like a wrecker’s yard after a vicious, oneman crime spree at Nerang.

The male offender, captured on the Nerang railway station’s 24-hour CCTV footage, approached the 43year-old woman about 5pm as she went to enter her motor vehicle, assaulting her around the head, threatening her with a screwdriver and ripping off some of her clothing.

A group of youths saw the attack and went to the woman’s aid, chasing the man up and over a fence adjoining an apartment complex.

The offender then escaped in a stolen “older model” Holden Commodore.

Apart from the assault on the victim, the attacker was also wanted in relation to extensive damage done during break-ins to eight other vehicles parked at the station including the victim’s red Toyota Camry.

The break-ins were also recorded on surveillance cameras.

At least three of the eight cars were “jimmied” open.

Police district duty officer Garry Watts said a communication breakdown between the attacker, described as in his 20s and about 185cm tall, and his victim may have triggered what he described as a “vicious attack”.

“She was able to fight him off and fled to the railway station,” Insp Watts said. “We will be looking at the security footage.”

Police said the victim was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for observation.