Masked gangs of African appearance rob Melbourne servos

TESSA AKERMAN
January 10, 2018
The Australian

Gangs of masked men violently robbed two service stations in Melbourne’s north early on Wednesday morning armed with knives, hammers and a crow bar.

The robberies were committed by men in two different cars within minutes of each other and the Thomastown Caltex and BP stations targeted are on the same road.

The attendant at the Caltex station managed to lock himself in the back room but the attendant at the BP was “moved around the store” by the offenders and slapped across the face, police said.

Mill Park senior constable Mark Mulvany yesterday said four men in a silver SUV used hammers to smash their way into the Caltex station about 4.45am.

He said the attendant locked himself in the back room while the offenders, who were armed with a hammer and a knife jumped the counter and stole cigarettes.

About the same time a group of men pulled up at the BP in a black Toyota Camry armed with hammers and a crow bar.

Sn Const. Mulvany said six offenders entered the service station, assaulted the attendant and stole cigarettes and cash from the till.

He said this group of men were armed with hammers and a crowbar. 

“It’s just too early at this stage of the investigation to determine any link,” he said. 

Sn Const. Mulvany said the men were of African appearance but were “masked up”, preventing identification.

He said police were unaware at this stage whether the cars involved were stolen and urged witnesses to come forward to police.

He said the offending was “high impact” and although the attendant at the BP service station didn’t require hospital treatment he was still “quite distraught”.

Australasian Association of Convenience Stores chief executive Jeff Rogut called for Victorian chief commissioner Graham Ashton to work in a service station at night after Mr Ashton said claims people were afraid to live in Victoria were “utter garbage”. 

“[He needs] to recognise the real issue and not try and sweep it under the carpet,” Mr Rogut said.

He said the attitudes by police and the government were putting people’s lives at risk almost for public convenience.