by Violet Li
Cranbourne Police officers are appealing for witnesses to a theft and assault in Cranbourne North on Thursday 7 December.
It is understood that a 13-year-old boy was riding an e-scooter along Courtenay Avenue Reserve just after 6pm.
Officers were told a man riding a bike approached the boy before assaulting him.
The man fled the scene on the boy’s e-scooter whilst pushing the bike.
The boy did not sustain any injuries during the incident.
At this stage in the investigation, it does not appear the parties are known to each other.
The boy’s mother told the Star News that her son was heading along Hoysted Ave towards Ballanee Grove before the assault.
She said the man knocked his son off the e-scooter, held him down, and repeatedly punched him in the shoulders.
The offender then took away the boy’s Segway Ninebot Kickstarter scooter and fled towards the corner of Hoysted Ave and Ballanee Grove.
“It was a brand-new scooter. It cost me $1200,” the mother said.
“My son was still sad and did not feel safe around the neighbourhood.
“I’m not letting him out now really to do anything now because I don’t feel safe at all.”
The mother was concerned about the security in the community, as it has only been a month since she last rang the police when a group of individuals tried to get their backs off her son and grandson.
“There’s a lot of things happening in Cranbourne. It’s definitely not getting better,” she said.
“The police are very under resourced. They just haven’t got the time and the resources to follow everything up.”
The petrified mother door-knocked around the area and secured a footage of the offender off a house’s security camera.
Anyone who witnessed the incident, with dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
