By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
A MAN is on the run after an attempted armed carjacking in Narre Warren as the political spotlight falls on the rising number of these offences and moves to introduce new legislation.
The Caucasian attacker threatened the male victim with a knife and attempted to steal his car at a Narre Warren shopping centre on Tuesday 7 June.
He approached the car driver about 9pm and demanded his keys but the victim locked his car and ran off.
Police have released CCTV images and a FACE-fit image of the attacker.
He is described as aged in his late teens to early 20s, around 170-180cm tall and of medium build and was wearing a grey Adidas hoodie, a black cap, tan pants and black shoes.
The police appeal comes as the state Opposition jumps on legislation to make carjacking and aggravated carjacking criminal offences.
Shadow Police Minister and Eastern Victoria Region MP Edward O’Donohue has announced that the “Liberal Nationals Coalition has today (Thursday 23 June) introduced legislation to make carjacking a specific and serious crime in Victoria”.
The legislation would see jail terms for such crimes of up to 15 to 25 years and will be debated when Parliament resumes in August.
Mr O’Donohue said: “Under Daniel Andrews, crime is up over 12 per cent and gangs like Apex continue to terrorise the community with carjackings, drive-by shootings and home invasions.
“Carjackings were virtually unknown in Victoria until relatively recently but as the two recent incidents in Malvern show they have become all too common, causing enormous angst in the community.
“Daniel Andrews has sent the wrong message to criminals by weakening the juvenile bail laws, repealing Coalition laws against violent protests and failing to take action to toughen the sentencing regime where needed.
“The Coalition has already introduced into the Parliament laws to further toughen our parole system and is committed to introducing Australia’s toughest drive-by shooting laws if elected to government.
“Victoria is caught in the grip of a crime wave.”
In response Attorney-General Martin Pakula said: “Yesterday (Wednesday 22 June) I indicated that the Government was preparing to bring in legislation to deal with carjacking and today the Opposition introduces a Bill that we still haven’t seen.
“If you think that’s a coincidence you’d also believe in leprechauns. It’s pathetic game playing by an Opposition that doesn’t seem to realise it lost the last election.
“The Government will be supporting a Government Bill – one that is being developed in consultation with Victoria Police – not some back-of-the-envelope effort so that the Liberal Party can say ‘me too’.”
