Man charged over kids‘ alleged abduction

A MAN has been charged after two children were allegedly abducted during a violent home invasion, before being found safe and well about 12 hours later.

The two children, aged five and three, were taken from their home in the Melbourne suburb of Blackburn North after their mum was assaulted, bound and gagged by an armed intruder, police allege. The children were found unharmed just after 7pm at an address in Mitcham, about 5km from their home, where heavily armed police arrested three men and a woman.

Police do not believe the alleged abduction was random and are treating it as a targeted attack, but armed crime squad detectives are yet to determine the motive.

Victoria Police confirmed early on Wednesday that a 36-year-old man who was arrested at the property had been charged over the incident.

Police said the other two men and the woman had been released without charge.

The man was charged with two counts of kidnapping, aggravated burglary (offensive weapon), armed robbery, false imprisonment, three counts of common law assault and theft of a motor vehicle. He was due to face court on Wednesday.

Police will allege the man entered the family home and assaulted the 32-year-old mother before leaving in the family’s black Mercedes Benz with the children.

After freeing herself, the mother ran outside and alerted passers-by before police arrived soon after.