Elderly man, pregnant woman targeted in Geelong crime spree
Heartless thieves robbed an elderly man and dragged a heavily pregnant woman from her car during a brazen crime spree near Geelong.
The men are still on the run despite police engaging in a pursuit and puncturing the tyres of the stolen vehicle the men were travelling in.
The four men entered 72-year-old victim Jim’s home in Queenscliff through an unlocked door on Wednesday night and stole his car using his keys.
“I was working in my office and I heard a noise,” Jim said.
“You sort of feel violated.
“You feel as if they’ve intruded into your life. It’s a terrible feeling but I’m lucky I didn’t get stabbed. I didn’t fight them, I didn’t find them.”
Jim was able to call police and report the theft with the car later spotted on the Bellarine Highway.
Officers set up a spike strip for the men, who crossed it in the stolen car, but continued to drive away and crossed onto the wrong side of the highway.
After police aborted the chase due to safety concerns, the group of thieves then forced the pregnant victim to pull over and took off in her Nissan.
Senior sergeant Terry Hay said the pregnant victim was left “distraught and petrified” on the side of the road.
“When (the pregnant victim) saw the car on her side of the road coming towards her, she did the right thing and pulled over,” senior sergeant Hay said.
“The people in the stolen car saw the opportunity and pulled up alongside her and manhandled her out of the car.
“She didn’t resist which is a good thing.
“(The thieves) are opportunists. They saw an opportunity to grab the car.
“They wouldn’t have cared if she was pregnant or otherwise.”
The woman’s Nissan was later found burnt out in Lovely Banks, north of Geelong.
Passer by Dave said he heard the Nissan explode three or four times, and quickly called police.
So far, no one has been injured in the men’s crime spree.
Police are hoping someone will be able to recognise one of the offenders captured on CCTV stealing petrol.
Anyone who can identify the man or has information on the group should call police.
