Surgeon’s skill with words foils car theft

By Shaun Inguanzo
A DANDENONG surgeon’s quick thinking may have saved the lives of emergency patients after he persuaded guilt-stricken thieves not to steal his car and mobile phone.
Frankston Embona Taskforce Detective Senior Constable Deanne Williams said two men approached the car of the surgeon in Cleeland Street, Dandenong, on Monday, 15 May, at 8.50pm.
Two men, one armed with a hammer, attempted to car-jack the vehicle, but the surgeon refused to leave the car.
“He said to them ‘you can’t have the car because I am a surgeon on-call for Dandenong Hospital and I need the car to see emergency patients’,” Det Sen Const Williams said.
“One offender said he wanted the car, but the surgeon again said ‘you can’t have it’.”
Det Sen Const Williams said the two men stole the surgeon’s wallet and mobile phone and attempted to flee after their failed attempts to steal his car.
“But he just yelled at them, ‘I need my mobile phone for emergencies, I am on call and if I can’t get to an emergency and patients die, it’s only going to be worse for you’,” she said.
Det Sen Const Williams said the two men then dropped the mobile phone and fled with the surgeon’s wallet into David Street, Dandenong.
She said police believe the incident is related to a crime that occurred the following day, May 16, at 2.20pm.
She said two men – one armed with a knife – approached a woman seated in her car at the intersection of Heatherton Road and Boyd Street, Dandenong, and demanded the woman’s vehicle.
Det Sen Const Williams said the woman refused and the two men fled into Vizard Street, Dandenong.
The two men were described as being aged in their 20s, with one of Caucasian appearance and the other of Asian appearance, both about 175 centimetres (5’10”) and of thin build.
The Caucasian man had brown hair and was wearing a black windcheater with a hood and dark-coloured pants.
The Asian man had short black hair and was wearing a light-coloured windcheater and dark pants.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Det Sen Const Deanne Williams at Frankston Embona Taskforce on 9784 5528, or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.