By Casey Neill
A pregnant Noble Park woman was struck with a hammer during an armed robbery on Tuesday 13 September.
Southern Metro Regional Crime Team’s Senior Constable Stephanie Groom on Friday 16 September appealed for public help to identify those responsible.
She said police had canvassed neighbours but had not yet found any witnesses.
“She’s terrified. It was a very traumatic experience for her to go through,“ she said.
The 24-year-old victim was walking home from a friend’s house and just a few streets away from home when the incident occurred about 11.30pm.
She was travelling west along Walsh Street toward Simpson Street when a car turned onto the road from Myrtle Street.
Sen Const Groom said the silver or blue Ford Falcon XR6 sedan drove past her and one of the occupants whistled at her.
The victim quickly walked along Simpson Street and turned right onto Myrtle Street, but the vehicle performed a u-turn and drove up behind her.
Four men wearing masks left the car and approached the woman, one armed with a baseball bat, another brandishing a hammer and one holding an axe or similarly-shaped weapon.
Two men stayed in the front seats of the car.
The men demanded the woman’s handbag and one swung a hammer at her before she could hand it over.
Sen Const Groom said the man swung it three times and one blow struck the woman’s arm as she raised it to protect her head.
They snatched the handbag and returned to the car.
“The victim has pleaded for her mobile phone as she is pregnant and she wanted the photos from her phone, and they’ve thrown that phone onto the ground,“ Sen Const Groom said.
The car performed a u-turn and was last seen turning right onto Heatherton Road.
The victim told police the car appeared to be lowered and sounded like it had a turbo engine.
“She called a friend who called police,“ Sen Const Groom said.
“The offenders in this incident are described as African in appearance, all with masks on and dark-coloured clothing.
“It’s believed these same offenders were involved in an attempted carjacking at approximately 11pm that night in Huntingdale.“
She said a 25-year-old man told police that a blue Ford Falcon G6 overtook him on Huntingdale Road before breaking heavily and forcing him to stop.
Three men then got out of the passenger doors of the Ford and approached the victim’s car armed with hammers.
The victim, who was travelling with a 26-year-old man, put his car in reverse and the would-be carjackers ran back to their vehicle.
The victim performed a u-turn and the Ford did the same, almost resulting in a collision.
The attempted thieves continued to pursue the victim as he travelled north on Huntingdale Road.
The Ford then turned left onto Burlington Street and the victim continued on Huntingdale Road and onto the Princes Highway.
The victim described two of the men as about 180 centimetres tall, and the other as about 170cm tall.
He described all three men as African in appearance and said they were wearing black clothing and dark-coloured ski masks.
Sen Const Groom urged anyone with any information to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
