A 33-year-old Epsom man was assaulted by four men near the Huntly shops at 1.15am yesterday and $500 in pizza-shop money and the man’s wallet were stolen.

Bendigo Sergeant Mick McCrann said the man would be “traumatised and in shock” after the incident and he urged witnesses to come forward. 

“It’s disgusting someone who’s working for a living can be treated in this way, not only assaulted but robbed by a group of males who obviously pre-planned this,” Sergeant McCrann said. 

“The victim was punched by some of the offenders in the stomach and winded, and while he was doubled over they took $500 from the pizza shop and his wallet with his driver’s licence, Medicare card, photos of his children and his birth certificate.

“We’ve been given a fairly accurate description of the males and it’s fairly likely someone would know these people, and they can contact police anonymously if they wish.” 

Sergeant McCrann said the pizza order was placed by a female and the four men waited in a dirty silver 1990s-model Holden Commodore with no rear number plate parked under a street light on the Midland Highway. 

He said police would try to trace the call. 

Sergeant McCrann said the first attacker was about six foot four inches tall, Caucasian, with ripped blue jeans, hairy arms, and a dark or red flannel shirt, and a second man had a black or grey hooded jumper, dark shorts and solid build. 

Another offender, about five foot eight inches, had a white hoodie, dark track pants and new Nike Air Max runners.

The fourth man was about six foot tall and 25 years old, had a solid build, collar-length red hair, a goatee and moustache, white singlet, black track pants and old blue or grey runners. 

“There are a lot of trucks travelling along that part of the Midland Highway at that time of night,” Sergeant McCrann said. 

“It would be unusual to see a car under a street light with no number plates at that time in the morning. 

“I’m sure someone would have passed it and seen it and we’d appreciate any information they might have, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.”

Anyone with information on the incident should contact Bendigo police on 5448 1300 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.