A 27-year-old East Melbourne man has been arrested after a stolen white Toyota Land Cruiser careered through Northland Shopping Centre in Preston during an afternoon police pursuit on Wednesday.
Shortly after 4 pm on 18 June, security guards first spotted the off-white Land Cruiser, stolen from an Ivanhoe East address on 2 June, near the Murray Road precinct. Officers moved in to intercept the vehicle at about 4:07 pm in the centre’s outdoor carpark, but rather than stop, the driver “took evasive action” and drove straight into the mall.
Shoppers and staff watched in horror as the stolen 4WD smashed through glass doors, tore past storefronts and upended a safety bollard along the mall’s main thoroughfare. No one was physically injured, though one woman was transported to the hospital in shock.
“He took out all the doors all the way through,” said witness Wayne O’Connor.
“He actually stopped for a little kid—made sure no one was crossing. It was terrifying, but he didn’t hit anyone.”
Superintendent Kelly Lawson of Victoria Police described a chaotic scene:
“Officers responding to reports of a stolen vehicle attempted to block it in.
The driver rammed a police patrol car twice, then drove through the shopping centre and exited at the first available opportunity. Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported.”
Within an hour of fleeing the centre, the Land Cruiser was found abandoned on Beavers Road in Northcote at 5:10 pm. Detectives executed a search warrant at a Hoddle Street address in East Melbourne on Thursday morning, arresting a 27-year-old man and seizing an electronic key reprogramming tool—the device allegedly used to steal the vehicle without its keys.
As Victoria Police continue their investigation, Superintendent Lawson warned:
“While we were relieved no one was hurt, this incident demonstrates the lengths offenders will go to evade arrest.
We urge anyone with information to come forward so we can hold those responsible to account.”
This brazen incident follows a violent machete confrontation at Northland less than a month ago, underscoring ongoing security concerns at one of Melbourne’s largest shopping hubs. Police are not seeking any further suspects but have appealed for anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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