A STOLEN car reached speeds of 140km/h in a 60km/h zone during a police chase through Warrnambool’s residential streets yesterday afternoon.
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Highway patrol officers from Warrnambool were forced to abandon the pursuit when the driver of the stolen 2008 Subaru wagon reached more than double the speed limit along Moore Street in the city’s north-east about 2pm.
Sergeant Callum McKinnon said the driver of the stolen car was overtaking other cars dangerously and forcing cars off the road as it hit 140km/h on Moore Street, leaving the highway patrol officers no option but to terminate the chase in the interests of public safety.
The pursuit began on the Hopkins Highway near Grassmere Junction at 1.48pm when police detected the stolen Subaru travelling at 127km/h in a 100km/h zone.
Rather than pull over, the driver of the stolen car turned on to back roads and headed south from the Hopkins Highway, then crossing Wangoom Road and heading south down Aberline Road.
There was no slowing down as the car reached suburban areas and 60km/h zones, with the driver turning into Moore Street and rapidly increasing his speed to 140km/h. Sergeant McKinnon said the highway patrol officer feared for public safety and ended the pursuit at 2.03pm.
“The driver was overtaking cars and actually pushed a couple of cars off the road (on Moore Street),” he said.
“Highway patrol terminated the pursuit there and the car was last seen heading south-west along Cramer Street. It was fortunate no one was injured at all.”
Sergeant McKinnon said it was believed the Subaru had been stolen from Langwarrin in Melbourne’s south-east.
Anyone with any information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Warrnambool police.