By ANEEKA SIMONIS
IN the short distance from his front door to the driveway, an Officer man was allegedly launched upon by a gang of youths accused of robbery, kidnapping and several aggravated burglaries.
The crime spree, spanning across to the east side of the city and forcing two schools into lockdown, allegedly began in the victim’s driveway.
Police said the man left his Fairwood Rise, Officer, house, locked the door behind him and began walking toward his car parked in the driveway before the alleged terror unfolded between 6.30am -7am on Thursday 4 August.
A silver sedan appeared, and three youths got out of the car and made their way toward the victim holding the keys to his red Ford sedan, police allege.
Cardinia Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) Detective Sergeant Phil Jury said one of the men ran up to the man’s front door and began trying to kick it down.
“The victim was screaming for help,” he said.
“They grabbed the keys off him. I am not sure how much force was used.”
Youths from Pakenham, Dandenong North and Frankston, all aged 18, and a 16-year-old Springvale South boy have been charged with a string of offences alleged to have been carried out in the victim’s stolen vehicle through to mid-morning.
In one instance, the teenagers allegedly armed themselves with a hockey stick, a golf club and a metal pole and drove a man to an ATM to withdraw money.
The 18-year-old alleged offenders appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday 5 August. They did not apply for bail and are expected to return to court in October.
The 16-year-old is expected to front court at a later date.
All four have been charged with kidnapping, aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, robbery and other offences in relation to alleged raids at homes in Park Orchards, Mitcham, Blackburn and Clayton.
