IT was a pack hunt. Masked thugs in two cars, stalking taxi drivers in the desolate post-midnight western suburban streets.
Two cabbies, beaten and robbed, are in hospital with serious injuries. At least five taxis are off the road. Police say the attacks appear to have been motivated purely by greed.
The balaclava-clad men used their cars to box in taxis, then, with baseball, threatened and beat some of the cabbies in five separate incidents, in one case breaking a taxi driver’s arm.
The first incident took place about 12am on Anderson Road, Sunshine. The driver told police he was overtaken by another vehicle and forced to stop. The a second vehicle pulled up next to the taxi, blocking it in. Several men wearing balaclavas got out of the two vehicles and began smashing the sides and windows of the taxi before demanding the driver hand over his wallet and takings.
Over the next 75 minutes four similar robberies took place in Sunshine and surrounding suburbs: a taxi driver robbed on Somerville Road, Brooklyn about 12.20am; at 12.45am another taxi driver stopped, beaten and robbed on Fitzgerald Road, Laverton North; a fourth robbed and beaten on Bradman Street, Sunshine North at 1.15am.
A fifth driver was robbed in Berkshire Road in Sunshine North though it is unclear what time this robbery took place..
In the Laverton North attack, the cabbie’s arm was broken. The driver pulled over in Bradman Street, Sunshine North received head injuries.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said she did not believe any of the taxis were carrying passengers at the time of the attacks.
Police believe between four and six men are responsible and are appealling for witnesses to help them locate two stolen cars they believe were used to carry out the robberies. The first vehicle is a red Subaru, registration PB 269. The second vehicle is a ZX Nissan sedan, registration XOB 029.
Information to Crime Stoppers, 1800333000 or visit their website here.
