Teen sparks police chase

By Shaun Inguanzo
POLICE have praised their pursuit skills after safely busting a 13-year-old teenager driving a van through Noble Park last week.
Police in a divisional van noticed the Tarago van driving through Douglas Parade in Noble Park with its headlights switched off at 8.30pm on Thursday, 17 May.
Springvale Police Senior Sergeant Alan Dew said members drove alongside the van and noticed the driver appeared to be younger than the legal driving age.
But the Tarago then sped away westbound along Heatherton Road.
Sen Sgt Dew said police pursued the vehicle for 10 minutes before cancelling the chase at Warrigal and Centre Roads in Cheltenham.
The Tarago van, driven by a 13-year-old and carrying three passengers aged nine, 13 and 15, was later detected by an unmarked police car in Cheltenham.
Four youths were arrested, and two remanded in custody.
There were no injuries or damage caused throughout the chase to either police, the youths or other motorists.
The driver is scheduled to appear before Melbourne Children’s Court on 28 May.
Sen Sgt Dew said the officers’ decision to call off the pursuit was “good policing practice” and ensured there was as little risk of harm to either police, motorists or the youths as possible.
He said drivers under the legal driving age posed a threat to others on the road.
“Obviously kids aged 13 years old don’t have the experience of driving cars and are a danger to themselves, the community and to friends,” Sen Sgt Dew said.