TEENAGE JOYRIDERS WREAK HAVOC IN MELBOURNE: Four Boys Arrested After Stolen BMW Chase Through CBD, Pedestrian Struck
- Four teenage boys, aged between 15 and 17, were arrested after a wild car chase through Melbourne’s CBD
- The boys allegedly stole a white BMW and drove erratically through the city, striking a pedestrian on Exhibition Street
- The vehicle was dumped in Bourke Street Mall, with the boys fleeing on foot through Myer before being caught by police
Chaos erupted in Melbourne’s CBD yesterday afternoon as four teenage boys led police on a wild car chase through the city streets. The boys, aged between 15 and 17, allegedly stole a white BMW and drove erratically, striking a pedestrian on Exhibition Street.
Witnesses described the terrifying scene as the BMW sped through Bourke Street Mall, a busy pedestrian and tram zone. “I was on my phone and leaning against a bollard when I saw a police car and then moments later a BMW,” said witness Richard Haig. “Four young people jumped out of the car, sprinted through there, and ran through Myer.”
Haig said he and another bystander ran to the empty car, which was still moving, and helped bring it to a stop. “Another lady came across to put it into park and put the brakes on,” he said.
The pedestrian who was struck by the car is being treated in hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Ambulance Victoria confirmed paramedics treated one person about 1:05pm.
Police say the boys were arrested a short time later in Lonsdale Street and did not have weapons. They are currently being interviewed by police.
Yarra Trams said the route 86 and 96 trams were being diverted away from Bourke Street Mall due to the “emergency services request”. Footage from the scene shows the white BMW being towed away as police officers remain stationed throughout the mall.
Witness Vince Galasso said he saw the BMW speeding down Bourke Street Mall at about 50 to 60 kilometres an hour. “Then as we turned the corner we noticed police cars were coming down as well,” he said. “They were coming from every direction.”
Another witness, James Duffy, said he was walking through Myer when he saw “teenagers just running straight through Myer, straight through the Emporium” towards Melbourne Central. “Like probably one minute later I saw about five cops running through heavily armed,” he said.
Friends of the arrested boys, including Jock Claringbold, witnessed the dramatic arrests. “They were like, ‘get on your knees’ and all of that,” Claringbold said. “And then the runaways, they gave up and they got down on their knees and the cops pinned them down … and then more cops kept swarming in. There was like 20 or 25 of them.”
Claringbold said the police officers were heavily armed and looked like “proper SWAT”.