Police are confident that an arrest is imminent after another “cowardly” attack on a car with a Victorian traffic camera.
A car worker was shaken after someone broke the windows and tires in the second incident in nine days after another car with a traffic camera was engulfed by a four-wheel drive while a worker was inside. .
The two attacks are among the four “really serious incidents” with cars with traffic cameras in Victoria since April 25, which police say they are very concerned about.
Rear windows shattered. (Victoria Police)
A car with a traffic camera was parked on Bellarine Highway in Point Lonsdale, Victoria, around 8:50 p.m. yesterday, when its windows were smashed with what police believe was a metal stick and his tires were cut.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Glenn Weir said that fortunately the worker was able to leave the scene and was not injured.
“It would be absolutely terrifying to be sitting in your car doing your job in the dark and all of a sudden a madman comes out of nowhere and attacks you with a stick,” he said.
The driver was inside the car when the windows were hit. (Victoria Police) The car was badly damaged. (new)
The deputy commissioner said the type of “really cowardly attacks” were considered “high-end criminal behavior” and were subject to specific police charges.
He said the “really cowardly” attacks had “caused real damage and distress to camera operators” and were also “really, very detrimental to the wider road safety program”.
“We rely on operators to do their job and keep Victorians safe,” he said.
“I don’t understand why someone is attacking someone who is just doing their job, trying to protect Victorian roads.”
The operator of the traffic camera was forced to move away from the scene. (New) Deputy Commissioner Glenn Weir. (new)
He said police were confident he would make some arrests for the incidents in the near future.
A speed camera car was struck several times west of Melbourne on 13 June. (Victoria Police)
Police want to talk to anyone who has information or dashcam pictures about the incidents.