By Bonny Burrows
An estimated 150 cars engaged in a mass “hoon” gathering at Pakenham’s Bate Close last week, jolting nearby residents from their sleep.
Police were called to the industrial estate about 11.20pm Thursday night after reports of burnouts and hoon behaviour and arrived to find the large crowd using the road as a makeshift drift track.
Pakenham Police Sergeant Darren Shaw said those involved had travelled from as far as the western suburbs, with the majority aged between 18 and 25 years old.
After “weeding out” onlookers and those participating in the illicit activities police issued penalty notices to eight cars, while another vehicle was impounded on Bald Hill Road after being clocked doing 120km/h in an 80km/h zone.
Under anti-hoon laws police are able to impound, immobilise or permanently confiscate vehicles involved in hoon activities.
On top of vehicle seizure, if a person is found guilty of a hoon driving offence a loss of licence and demerit points can apply, and fines of almost $34,000 can be imposed, as well as a prison sentence of up to two years.
Sergeant Shaw condemned the behaviour as dangerous, risking the lives of both drivers and spectators.
“They (hoons) tend to favour the industrial estates as in their minds they think it’s safe, but they are putting themselves and onlookers in danger,” Sergeant Shaw said.
Local residents said the road had been a hoon hotspot in the past, presumably for its “very wide road and wide bowl of the court” but things had died down for the past 12 months.
One Bate Close resident, who did not want to be named, described Thursday as a night of not much sleep thanks to the sounds of screeching car tyres and rowdy behaviour.
He estimated a higher number of people were involved than thought by police, as there were up to four people in each vehicle.
Many had cut fences and fled through paddocks and across the railway tracks upon police arrival.
He said it wasn’t until morning locals realised the true extent of the night’s activities.
“There were hundreds of kids out there and they’ve made a mess of the street,” the resident said.
“There is lots of damage; fences upside down and ripped open, shredded tyres and lots of burnout marks.
“They’re lucky no-one was hurt.”
Police advise anyone who witnesses hoon behaviour to report the vehicle’s registration and details to police immediately.
