The big chase

By Nicole Williams
A POLICE officer was injured in the final minutes of a three-hour police pursuit in the south eastern suburbs last week.
Three people, from Narre Warren and Dandenong, were charged after the pursuit through Moorabbin, Bangholme and Dandenong last Thursday (28 June) afternoon.
Detective Sergeant Miro Majstorovic from Dandenong Crime Investigation Unit said the Holden Commodore was stolen from the Pakenham Train Station two days earlier and was spotted doing donuts and burnouts in Moorabbin around 1.50pm on Thursday.
A pursuit commenced when the car did not stop for police and was terminated by pursuing officers on the Dandenong Bypass, near Eastlink, when it was considered too dangerous.
A second pursuit, after the driver was spotted driving on the wrong side of the Nepean Highway, was terminated in Moorabbin around 2pm.
Following the end of the second pursuit, the car was followed by a police helicopter for two hours where police witnessed the car driving dangerously through the south eastern suburbs.
Det Sgt Majstorovic said the men were putting all nearby drivers at risk.
“They were driving on the wrong side of the road, driving on the grass and traffic islands, driving through pedestrian crossings at speed and running red lights,” he said.
Police also believe the men were involved in a bag snatch at DFO Moorabbin, theft of food from a convenience store in Dingley and the car previously used in a petrol drive-off in Berwick.
The car was temporarily stopped by a ‘stop stick’ deployed by police on Worsley Road, Bangholme at 4.15pm however it did not deter the determined driver.
With a blown tyre, the car travelled a further five kilometres along Hammond Road before police created a road block at the intersection of Greens Road and Frankston-Dandenong Road, Dandenong.
“Once the tyre was blown out the car lost control and endangered other vehicles so the decision was made the end it there,” Det Sgt Majstorovic said.
Two police vehicles blocked in the stolen car and police tried to remove the men following the collision.
Det Sgt Majstorovic said the driver didn’t give up and tried reversing the car, which trapped a police officers leg in the door of a police vehicle as she tried to get back into the car.
The female officer was taken to hospital with a serious leg injury and has since returned to work on light duties.
Twelve police vehicles were involved during the afternoon chase.
“We’re very happy that no members of the public were injured and very happy that the injury to the police officer was not more serious,” Det Sgt Majstorovic said.
Two 18-year-olds from Narre Warren and a 17-year-old from Dandenong were arrested at the scene and charged with conduct endangering life as well as traffic and theft offences.
They will appear before court at a later date.