Teen’s kidnap horror

By Rebecca Fraser
A 17-YEAR-OLD boy was slashed with a knife and dragged into the boot of a car in Berwick last week, before being released relatively unharmed.
Detective Sergeant Garry Kear of Narre Warren CIU said the incident occurred last Tuesday, 31 January, as the boy walked along Centre Road Berwick between 6pm and 6.30pm.
Det Sgt Kear said the boy was approached by a group of three men driving a red sedan when words were exchanged.
But he said the context of the conversation was not clear.
“The boy has run off and they have allegedly chased him,” Det Sgt Kear said.
“He has fallen over and two men have then grabbed him and thrown him into the boot of the car.”
Det Sgt Kear said the boy was taken for a short drive before the boot was opened and he was dumped at the corner of Homestead Road and Centre Road, Berwick.
He said no demands had been placed on the boy and police believe the men and the teenager did not know one another.
The teenager received a cut to his left upper arm, believed to be from a knife.
Police have released an image of two men they want to speak to in relation to the incident.
They believe the car involved was a red VY Holden Commodore with P-plates displayed at the time.
In another, possibly related incident, a 13-year-old girl was approached by two men in the underground Safeway car park at Fountain Gate Shopping Centre on Friday.
Det Sgt Kear said two men driving a maroon VS Commodore approached the girl about 7.30pm.
He said while the description of the car and the men differed slightly to the first incident, the nature of the men’s threats and their actions were similar.
Det Sgt Kear said the driver had screamed some words at the teenager before the passenger got out of the car and did the same.
The girl fled up the escalators into the shopping centre.
The driver has been described as being 18 or 19 years old, of medium height, relatively thin build, with light curly brown hair with blonde streaks with long brown sideburns, olive skin and was wearing blue jeans and a polo shirt.
The passenger was described as 18 or 19 years old, 183 centimetres, of thin build with short brown straight hair and wearing a white muscle top and black tracksuit pants.
Anyone who may have witnessed these incidents or has any information is asked to contact Detective Senior Constable Dean Hodge of Narre Warren CIU on 9705 3111 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.