News / Crime & Emergency
Children stalked during attempted abductions in Coburg
Alleged offender was eventually caught in church grounds
Brunswick Voice
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
A MAN has been charged with attempting to abduct two children in separate incidents at the Coburg shopping centre earlier this month.
The alleged offences occurred on the evening of Monday, October 6.
Police allege the 41-year-old Coburg man first followed a woman and a child into a pharmacy in Louisa Street at about 8.20pm.
He allegedly left at the same time and followed them to their car, then climbed into the back seat as the woman and child were getting into the car.
The child got out of the car and ran away but was followed by the man before the woman intervened while the child sought safety inside the pharmacy. The man waited outside the pharmacy for a short period of time before walking away.
Shortly after, he allegedly climbed a fence to enter the grounds of nearby church in Victoria Street, approaching a child and asking them to leave with him.
Adults were alerted and the man attempted to run away, before being detained until police arrived. He was arrested and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Fawkner Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Team detectives have charged the man with two counts of stalking, two counts of attempted child stealing and grooming for sexual conduct with a child under the age of 16.
He was remanded to next appear at Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court on 22 October.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit an online confidential report.
Pursuit ends with crash in Coburg
Stolen car reaches speeds of up to 140 kmh
THE driver of a stolen car has been arrested in Coburg after leading police on a wild chase that began late on Monday night.
Police used drop sticks – tyre deflation devices – to end the pursuit early on Tuesday morning after following the car through Coburg, Brunswick, Moonee Ponds and Avondale Heights.
Earlier, the stolen car reached speeds of up to 140 km and was driven on the wrong side of the road along the M80 Metropolitan Ring Road.
The 2024 Toyota RAV4, which was stolen from Mernda railway station over the weekend, was spotted on Plenty Road just after 11.30pm.
The Air Wing was called in to assist units on the ground as the vehicle travelled along the M80 at high speed, sometimes overtaking other cars on the wrong side of the road.
It left the freeway at Sydney Road and after travelling through Brunswick and Glenroy, police successfully deployed the drop sticks in Walsh Street in Coburg.
The stolen car came to a stop after crashing into a parked vehicle nearby, but the driver and a passenger ran off.
The 30-year-old driver, who had jumped several backyard fences to try and get away, was arrested by police in Hardwick Street but the passenger got away and remains at large.
The driver of no fixed address, who appeared substance affected, was taken to hospital for medical treatment and has been held under police guard until he can be interviewed.
A search of the stolen vehicle uncovered multiple items of stolen property.
The chase was part of Operation Trinity, which has been specifically tasked with preventing and responding to burglaries and car thefts each night.
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