THINGS are slowly getting back to normal for East Keilor residents caught up in the 44-hour siege that gripped the normally quiet Sterling Drive last week.
The standoff ended just after 2am on Wednesday when the gunman, who had been holed up at his girlfriend’s home, confronted police and was taken down with non-fatal “bean-bag rounds” by Special Operations officers.
Career criminal Christopher Dean Binse, 43, has been charged with a range of offences, including armed robbery and conduct endangering life.
Binse faced the Melbourne Magistrates Court later that day and heard the reading of three counts of armed robbery, being a prohibited person in charge of a firearm, theft of a motor vehicle, making threats to kill, reckless conduct endangering life, reckless conduct endangering serious injury and assaulting police.
The armed robbery charges related to an incident on March 19 when two security guards were allegedly held up at the Westside Hotel in Laverton North.
Many Sterling Drive residents became prisoners in their own home after police cordoned off much of the street just after 7am last Monday.
Jose Patamisi, who lives just a few doors down from where the siege took place, said he stayed in his house where he heard sirens, gun shots and police for 44 hours straight.
“I left the windows open, so I could clearly hear the gunshots,” Mr Patamisi said. “At the start it was a bit of a thrill; you don’t hear that kind of thing unless you’re watching a movie.”
Another Sterling Drive resident, Sam Kasper, opened his house up to media and police who were gathered on the corner of Milleara Road and Sterling Drive during the ordeal.
Mr Kasper said it was the least he could do.
“It’s no problem; we are going to be here anyway. These people are here a long time; it’s no worries.”
