Crime shock
Wanted: a police image of the man wanted over the Mirboo North hold-up.
By Matt Dunn
POLICE are investigating major crimes at both ends of South Gippsland, with an armed bank hold-up at Mirboo North and an alleged gang sexual assault of two girls, aged 13 and 15, in Wonthaggi.
A heavily acne scarred man, who held up a bank in Mirboo North last Thursday is being hunted by police, who have asked for public assistance to help track him.
The man entered the Bendigo Bank outlet on Ridgway Street at about 2pm and threatened the single female employee with a firearm before stealing cash and fleeing in a silver 4WD, thought to be a Land Rover Discovery.
The bank robbery is being investigated by Wonthaggi CIU, who are being helped out by a number of uniformed members. The area was cordoned off, but the bandit escaped.
Commercial Hotel publican Paul Korteman told police he thought he knew who the bandit was, judging from the description they had given him.
“The man was between 40 and 50, with gingery hair and a very acne-scarred face, about 5 foot 11 inches with a medium build. That’s what the police came to me with yesterday, and I gave them someone to look up,” he said.
“There’s someone I know of who sort of fits that description. He lives in the local district, not Mirboo North. It mightn’t be him – but he certainly fits that description. There’s not that many people who have a hugely acne-scarred face.” No shots were fired and no one was injured in the drama.
The man was described by police as being approximately 195cm tall, with a medium build, a reddish-tinged beard and acne scarring.
The vehicle the man escaped in was last seen heading toward Morwell on the Strzelecki
Highway.
Mirboo North bank employees were too shaken to talk about the ordeal.
“It’s a police matter, so we can’t really make a comment. People are a bit upset,” a Bendigo Bank spokeswoman told The Star. The bandit left the bank with a small amount of cash and was last seen crossing Ridgway, where he removed his balaclava.
The man was seen by a witness, who passed on the description to police.
Police have released an image of the escape vehicle and the man they believe committed the crime.
But Mirboo North was not the only place in South Gippsland beset by violent crime.
In a separate incident, five Wonthaggi men will face the Morwell Magistrates Court today to face charges over the alleged sexual assault of two under aged girls.
A youth, who was also involved in the alleged attack, will face the Children’s Court at a later date.
The alleged offenders were charged by Sexual Crime Squad detectives with the sexual assault of two teenage girls, believed to be aged 13 and 15, in Wonthaggi two weekends ago.
The charges follow an incident which occurred about 10pm on Saturday, March 6 at a residence in Wonthaggi.
It is believed the two girls were coaxed into the house before they were attacked.
Two 18-year-olds, a 19, 22 and 25-year-old, all from Wonthaggi, have been charged with eight counts each of sexual penetration of a child under 16 and one count each of committing an indecent act in the presence of a child.
Short URL: http://www.thestar.com.au/?p=163
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