Northland bollards insufficient to protect centre: security expert
Workers at Melbourne's Northland shopping centre have raised concerns over security failures after an allegedly stolen Toyota LandCruiser smashed through bollards and into the shopping centre before driving out another doorway on Wednesday.
Police have charged the alleged driver, a 27-year-old East Melbourne man, with seven offences, including theft of a motor vehicle and reckless conduct endangering life.
He appeared briefly at Melbourne Magistrate's Court on Thursday afternoon and was remanded in custody for another hearing next week after making no application for bail.
Less than a month ago, youth gangs brawled with machetes at Northland, terrifying customers, sending the centre into lockdown and prompting the state government to ban the sale of machetes.
When The Age visited on Thursday, staff said the Preston shopping centre's security alarm had not sounded until up to an hour after the gang brawl began, leaving businesses to identify the unfolding danger themselves.
One employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said they made the call to lock down their store only after they saw customers running past their business towards the exit.
'We saw people run away, so we are looking around [thinking] 'what happened?' … and more people ran away. We quickly closed the [storefront] door,' they said. 'We don't know what happened.'
It wasn't until 'maybe one hour' later that Northland sounded the alarm, they said. 'They should tell people. People are hiding in the shop.'
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The Age
5 hours ago
- The Age
Northland bollards insufficient to protect centre: security expert
Workers at Melbourne's Northland shopping centre have raised concerns over security failures after an allegedly stolen Toyota LandCruiser smashed through bollards and into the shopping centre before driving out another doorway on Wednesday. Police have charged the alleged driver, a 27-year-old East Melbourne man, with seven offences, including theft of a motor vehicle and reckless conduct endangering life. He appeared briefly at Melbourne Magistrate's Court on Thursday afternoon and was remanded in custody for another hearing next week after making no application for bail. Less than a month ago, youth gangs brawled with machetes at Northland, terrifying customers, sending the centre into lockdown and prompting the state government to ban the sale of machetes. When The Age visited on Thursday, staff said the Preston shopping centre's security alarm had not sounded until up to an hour after the gang brawl began, leaving businesses to identify the unfolding danger themselves. One employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said they made the call to lock down their store only after they saw customers running past their business towards the exit. 'We saw people run away, so we are looking around [thinking] 'what happened?' … and more people ran away. We quickly closed the [storefront] door,' they said. 'We don't know what happened.' It wasn't until 'maybe one hour' later that Northland sounded the alarm, they said. 'They should tell people. People are hiding in the shop.'
Herald Sun
7 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Northland shopping centre Land Cruiser stolen from Ivanhoe East home
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News. The owner of the stolen 4WD that ploughed through Northland joked with his family the vehicle was his as he watched the shocking scenes unfold on a TV news bulletin. Shoppers were forced to run for their lives as the Toyota Land Cruiser sped through the Preston shopping centre about 4pm Wednesday, leaving a trail of destruction. 'I jokingly said to my family while watching it on TV… 'that's my car',' he said. 'I recognised the wheels and the trim. I wasn't sure, but it looked like my car because that model has got certain alloys on it that are different.' The owner, who doesn't want to be identified, said he was stunned when police called minutes later to tell him the vehicle that had sped just metres from terrified shoppers was in fact his. 'No more than half an hour later the police rang and said they'd found it,' he said. Police allege an electronic key reprogramming tool was used to steal the car from outside the man's home on King St in Ivanhoe East on June 2. 'It was taken from the street about 50m from my bedroom and I didn't hear anything,' the man told the Herald Sun on Thursday. 'No alarm went off, nothing. Not only that, I had a steering wheel lock.' The white 2016 Land Cruiser was found dumped on Wednesday afternoon on Beavers Rd in Northcote, about 6km away from Northland. Police arrested a 27-year-old East Melbourne man at a Hoddle Street home about 8.30am on Thursday. He was charged with an array of offences including theft of a motor vehicle, driving whilst disqualified and reckless conduct endangering life. The man said he had noticed a significant rise in car thefts in Ivanhoe East and surrounds. 'We've been living here for 25 years and lately it's just crazy,' he said. 'Just in this street there's been three car thefts. 'They want high-end cars if they can get them.' It comes after new data released by the Crime Statistics Agency on Thursday revealed motor vehicle theft in Victoria was at its highest levels since 2002. 'More than one in five cars are stolen in circumstances where the owner reports retaining their keys,' a Victoria Police statement read. 'This has coincided with an increase in offenders using electronic devices capable of programming or mimicking keys to steal cars. 'Holdens, Toyotas, and Subarus with push start technology are the most targeted cars using this methodology. 'In the last month, these makes have been stolen at two to three times the rate of the previous five years.' Police have urged owners of cars with push start technology, including Land Cruisers manufactured after 2012, to adopt 'preventative measures' to deter thieves, such as an on-board diagnostic port lock, which prevents an offender connecting a reprogramming device to the car. Read related topics: Northland
Sydney Morning Herald
7 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Man charged after allegedly driving through shopping centre to flee police
Police allege the 27-year-old drove a stolen Toyota Landcruiser through Northland Shopping Centre yesterday to flee police.
