UPDATE 3.18pm: “DON’T drop a smoke when you drive,” the victim of an attempted carjacking in Eaglehawk last night said while addressing the media today.
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Tyler Pratt had been driving along Grenfell Avenue last night before being held up at knifepoint by an unknown man.
Mr Pratt, 22, said he had stopped the car on the side of the road because he dropped a cigarette down the side of his seat.
“As I’ve reached down to pick it up a bloke’s shoved his hand through the window, it was open, and had a knife in his hand,” he said.
He said it took him a moment to realise what was happening.
“Basically as my fingers have reached the cigarette I’ve gone to pull it up and as I’ve gone to pull it up I’ve noticed something out the corner of my eye,” Mr Pratt said.
“I’ve looked up, noticed that the knife was in front of my face and I’ve sort of looked around and saw him as well and realised what he was saying.”
He said the man’s exact words were: ‘Give me the keys to your car and whatever’s in your pockets.’
“As I’ve sort of taking everything in… I’ve just driven off. My first instinct was to drive off,” Mr Pratt said.
“As soon as he realised my car was moving he was pretty quick to pull his hand back to where it was.
Mr Pratt reported the incident at the Bendigo Police Station a short time afterwards.
MAP: Grenfell Avenue is highlighted, not the scene of the incident.
Detective Senior Constable Glen Fisher, from the Bendigo Crime Investigation Unit, said the incident occurred about 11.30pm yesterday.
Mr Pratt said the man had a relatively long goatee and was wearing a grey zip-up hoodie.
He said the man had a deep, raspy voice.
Detective Senior Constable Fisher said police were investigating what had happened as a singular incident.
“We've had no other incidents like this,” he said.
He said police did an extensive door-knock of the area, opposite the Eaglehawk cemetery, last night.
“Uniform police spoke to a lot of occupants here, which were all helpful, but unfortunately that didn’t yield any information so far,” the detective said.
He said Grenfell Avenue and its surrounds were generally quiet on a Friday night.
“It’s not a problem neighbourhood or anything like that, it’s just one of your suburban streets in Eaglehawk,” the detective said.
“If anyone has any information, regardless of how valuable they think it is, we'd still invite them to contact the Bendigo Police Station (5448 1300).”
People can also make a confidential report to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
EARLIER: Bendigo Crime Investigation Unit detectives are appealing for information following an attempted carjacking in Eaglehawk last night.
Investigators have been told the victim, a 22-year-old White Hills man, had been driving his red Ford sedan along Grenfell Avenue about 9.10pm.
He pulled over to the side of the road momentarily near Finch Avenue when an unknown man approached the vehicle.
Police were told the man produced a knife through the window and demanded the victim’s car keys and possessions.
The victim managed to drive away. He was not injured during the incident.
The offender was described to police as being Caucasian in appearance, about 180cm tall and aged in his late 30s to early 40s with medium-length hair and a bushy goatee.
He was wearing a grey zip-up jacket at the time.
Investigators are appealing for anyone with information, who witnessed the incident or who noticed any suspicious activity in the area at the time to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Bendigo Police Station on 5448 1300, or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
More to come.
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