Police make arrest after allegedly stolen car ploughed through Northland Shopping Centre
A man has been arrested after an allegedly stolen SUV ploughed through a Melbourne shopping centre on Wednesday.
Chaos broke out as the white Toyota LandCruiser ploughed through Northland Shopping Centre on Wednesday just after 4pm, sparking a major emergency response.
Police allege the LandCruiser was trying to evade officers at the time, after they earlier tried to block the car at a park.
Footage circulated widely online shows the car – believed to be driven by a man – speeding through the shopping centre, smashing through the doors as shoppers huddled inside stores.
'Thankfully, no one was struck by the car and there are no reported injuries,' police said in a statement.
Police later discovered the vehicle dumped on Beavers Road in Northcote about 5.10pm the same day. They allege it was stolen from Ivanhoe East on June 2, using an 'electronic key reprogramming tool'.
The shopping centre incident sparked an overnight manhunt for anyone involved.
Police arrested a 27-year-old East Melbourne man at a Hoddle St address at about 8.30am on Thursday.
'An electronic key reprogramming tool was seized during the arrest,' police said.
The man will be interviewed by detectives.
No charges have been laid.
Authorities are not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident.
Witnesses have recalled their terror during the shopping centre rampage, saying stores forced their shutters closed as the car sped through.
Merchandiser Tanya Nava told Today she was working in Kmart when the gates were pulled down.
'Everyone was just in a panic,' she said.
'A young girl runs up to me and she goes, 'Oh, there's a car in the shopping centre'. And we just all went 'oh my god', and then everyone was just freaking out.'
Staff put the customers to the back of the shop as the incident unfolded outside, the sound of the commotion echoing through the centre.
'It was like we heard gunshots, but it was just this car ramming through the shopping centre,' she said.
On Wednesday afternoon, a witness who was 'locked in a store' during the incident warned others of the speeding vehicle.
'If (you're) planning on attending Northland this afternoon don't,' she wrote. 'A car smashed through a door and went right through the shopping centre.'
Another woman recalled seeing the car 'quickly' speeding through the centre.
'I saw the car drive through and lucky no one was hit from this exit,' she wrote online.
The horror incident comes three weeks after the centre was plunged into lockdown due to what police allege was a fight between machete-wielding teens.
Northland Shopping Centre confirmed it would continue to operate as normal on Thursday.
'Following yesterday's incident, we confirm that our stores are open and trading as usual today,' a statement read.
'We continue to work with the Victorian Police, with increased security and police presence in centre over the coming days.'
The centre also offered support to anyone affected by the incident.
'We understand the incident that took place at our centre was distressing, and we want to reassure our community that we are taking this matter seriously,' the statement read.
Shopping centre management said it would have extra team members and an increased security presence around the centre.
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