African’ robs 7-Eleven then flees in stolen Mercedes-Benz

January 8, 2018
The Australian
A service station in Melbourne’s southeast was robbed yesterday by a man believed to be of African ­appearance who threatened a shop attendant with an imitation handgun before fleeing in a stolen car.
Police were still searching for the man last night after they found the stolen white Mercedes-Benz dumped several kilometres away in Hampton Park after it had been involved in a collision with two ­vehicles.
The armed robbery in Cranbourne North occurred about 1.20pm at the 7-Eleven on the South Gippsland Highway.
Investigators were told the male offender — described by police as 163cm, with a slim build and of African appearance — threatened the attendant with a handgun and demanded cash.
Witness Paul Papageorgiou told the Seven Network he saw the man ordering the attendant to fill up a bag with money while pointing a gun at his face.
“I saw a guy with a bandana across his face pointing a gun, robbing the attendant, so I just grabbed my mum and said let’s get out of here,” Mr Papageorgiou said.
“I don’t know if the gun was loaded or what the reaction would be so I thought it was just better to get out of there.”
Police later found the imitation handgun inside the stolen car.
Yesterday’s attack comes at the end of a month in which Melbourne has been rocked by a string of violent attacks believed to have been perpetrated by teen street gangs, with some members of South Sudanese descent.
At the end of last week, several men of African appearance allegedly carried out four brutal attacks, including a violent home invasion, in a crime spree lasting four hours across Thursday night and into Friday morning. As of last night, no arrests in relation to those four incidents had been made.
As Victoria Police has fought to contain the gang crisis and to ­reassure terrified residents in the city’s outer eastern and outer western suburbs, federal Liberal MPs have come to blows with the Andrews government and federal ALP counterparts over which level of government is most ­responsible for the crisis of integration and enforcement.
Acting ALP leader Tanya Plibersek yesterday attacked the Turnbull government for depriving Victoria Police of crucial ­resources from the Australian Federal Police in targeting gang related violence.
Rather than “just looking to point the finger of blame”, Ms Plibersek said in Sydney, it would be preferable if the federal government “actually played their role in making sure all Australians feel safe. Wouldn’t it be terrific if instead of looking around for someone to blame, Peter Dutton actually stepped up to the mark and stopped criticising Victoria Police and restored funding to the AFP so they can do their work.”
She accused the Turnbull government of having cut $180 million in funding to the AFP.
Mr Dutton, the Home Affairs Minister, said it was the ­Andrews government letting the state down by holding police back from acting decisively against the teen thugs.
“Federal agencies are providing considerable support to the Victorian Police, but Daniel ­Andrews should get out of the way and let the police do their job,” he said.
“Tanya Plibersek is admitting that the Andrews Labor government is unable to meet one of the most fundamental roles of government — to protect people and put criminals behind bars.”