UPDATE, 8.15am: A detour across country allowed the driver of a stolen LandCruiser with Queensland registration plates to escape from police near Camperdown on Monday.
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Acting Senior Sergeant Cameron Ross said Camperdown police received reports about an erratic driver along the Camperdown-Cobden Road at 8.20am Monday.
"A police patrol then sighted the stolen LandCruiser at the Camperdown BP service station," he said.
"It was being driven by a single male drive, described as Caucasian, in his mid 20s wearing a Champion brand grey hoodie.
"The unknown male saw the police car, jumped in the LandCruiser and drove off."
Acting Sergeant Ross said the police officers tried to intercept the LandCruiser.
"He was driving at 60 to 80km/h after leaving the service station heading north," he said.
"He entered Old Geelong Road and then a Skibo Road property where police waited for back-up
"There was no exit and we were trying to get a police cordon in place."
The police chief said the driver then drove through a gate onto Depot Road.
"He's basically gone across country. There was no way the police vehicle could follow. It would just have got bogged," he said.
"The LandCruiser was later reported to have been involved in a petrol drive-off at Colac.
"We had requested assistance of the police air wing but were not able to get a cordon in place."
Acting Senior Sergeant Ross said that security camera footage indicated the driver was heavily under the influence of drugs.
"The LandCruiser was stolen from Gladstone Park Hotel so we believe he's a Melbourne-based offender," he said.
"Inquiries are ongoing. The Toyota LandCruiser is white, about a 1993 model with an aluminium tray, fawn canvas rear cover and Queensland plates.
"It's one of those troop carrier models in good condition. You can pretty much drive them anywhere and he did," he said
Anyone with information is requested to contact the Camperdown police station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Monday, noon: There were reports the LandCruiser was seen at the Camperdown BP service station this morning being driven erratically.
The driver then headed north of town to Skibo Road and across country to Depot Lane and the Old Geelong Road intersection.
By 11am it's believed the ute was back in Colac doing a petrol drive-off.
Earlier: Corangamite district police are on the lookout for a stolen white Toyota LandCruiser with a canvas canopy and Queensland registration plates.
The vehicle was being hoon driven in Colac this morning leading to residents making a number of reports to police.
It has now left the central Colac area and Corangamite police officers have been asked to keep a lookout for the vehicle.
Anyone who sees the vehicle - which has an aluminium tray - is requested to contact the Colac police station on 5230 0000.
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