Robbery suspect charged in hospital A SEAFORD man was placed under guard at Frankston Hospital after the car he is alleged to have stolen was involved in a series of accidents on Frankston-Dandenong Rd last Tuesday evening (11 August). The man, mid-30s, was later charged with robbery, three counts of recklessly endangering life, theft of number plates and other road traffic offences by members of the Frankston Embona taskforce. He has been remanded to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on 28 August. Detective Senior Constable Ken Howard alleges the man pretended to
be a potential buyer of the $20,000, black 2011 Subaru hatch, before pushing the salesman out of the way, jumping in, and stealing it from a dealership in Overton Rd, Frankston, 1.30pm, Tuesday. Suspecting they knew the repeat offender, detectives drove to the man’s house where the car, with false number plates, was parked in the driveway. Coming outside, the man saw the officers, jumped in the car, and allegedly drove straight at the police car, with officers “forced to swerve to avoid a collision”. He then sped off. Near the intersection of Frankston-
Dandenong Rd and Frankston-Gardens Drive – and driving at speeds of up to 140kp/h – the man collided with an approaching car causing the Subaru to spin out of control, mount a kerb, and crash through a wire fence into cars parked outside a fitness club. The driver of the other car was not hurt, but the Subaru was a write off and two cars in the car park damaged. The man allegedly ran from the scene but was caught a short time later in Austin Rd, Seaford. Any witnesses to the incident are asked to call Frankston Embona detectives, 9784 5555.
Thieves steal war medals, memorabilia WAR medals and memorabilia stolen from Frankston RSL’s storage facility in Cranbourne Rd would “only have value to family members”, club president Kevin Hillier said last week. Police have released CCTV footage of the raid in which two men broke in through a fence and forced open a security roller door to gain entry overnight, Friday 31 July. Just after the images were taken the camera was turned skywards and nothing more was seen. “We couldn’t release details earlier because we were uncertain exactly what had been taken,” Mr Hillier said. “We had only just begun to move items to the storage facility.” One item of special interest was a chess set hand carved by prisoners of war.
He said collectors offered the artefacts would require certificates of authenticity, meaning thieves would find them difficult to on-sell. Police are appealing for public assistance in finding the two men, who are described as being in their 20s, wearing hoodies, track suit pants, beanies and gloves. Mr Hillier said the offenders “probably believed there were guns stored in the shed but we don’t have any on-site.” He said the RSL was grateful to a neighbour who called police when the alarm sounded. Anyone with information about the burglary is urged to contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1800 333 000 or submitting a confidential report online at crimestoppers.com.au
It’s best to get breasts checked for cancer SCREENING rates for breast cancer in the Carrum and Frankston electorates are among the lowest across the state, according to new data. BreastScreen Victoria noted participation rates for 2012-14 reveal just 49 per cent of women in Carrum and Frankston aged between the ages of 50 and 69 had checks for breast cancer as part of the free BreastScreen Victoria program. The participation average across Victoria was 54 per cent with suburbs such as Geelong and Essendon hitting the 60 per cent participation mark. Parliamentary secretary for health Mary-Anne Thomas, who released the data to state MPs earlier this month, said it is vital to detect breast cancer early to improve the chances of survival. “A regular breast screen, every two years, is the best way to find cancer early,” she said. “I encourage Victorian women, particularly those over the age of 50, to have their breasts screened regularly, and if you’re eligible, it’s free through BreastScreen Victoria.” The BreastScreen program enables eligible women to get free mammogram checks. BreastScreen Victoria CEO Vicki Pridmore said participation rates are influenced by many factors, including the ageing population – meaning more women are entering the age range of BreastScreen’s target population of 50-74.
“Urban participation trends tend to be lower than rural and remote areas across screening programs in many countries due to the diversity of community, transience and lifestyle factors. Appointment availability may be an issue in specific areas and increased private screening in some areas may also contribute to a reduced participation rate.” In 2014-15, the number of Victorian women screened in the program hit an all-time high of 241,122. BreastScreen Victoria has clinics in Frankston and Moorabbin. See breastscreen.org.au or call 13 20 50 for further information and to book an appointment.
Police flushed by drugs bust A 34-YEAR-OLD man has been charged with trafficking the drugs ice, GHB, and ecstacy after seven members of the Tasking Unit raided his Frankston South home on Tuesday. Detective Sergeant Paul Busuttil, of Frankston CIU, said police will allege the man was flushing evidence down the toilet when they entered the house and discovered an ounce of ice (methyl amphetamine) and one litre of GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate). The man has been remanded in custody to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on 31 August.
Birds enjoy fun in the rain BIRDLIFE at Edithvale-Seaford wetlands is taking advantage of last month’s higher rainfall to breed, feed and hunt. The internationally protected site is home to 190 bird species – 38 of which are migratory species that come from as far away as Japan. Melbourne Water South East Region manager Greg Bain said rainfall was 22 per cent above average, which had encouraged many birds to prepare for the breeding season. “The wetlands will be a great spot for birdwatching over the coming weeks, as the birds engage in courtship and pair bonding before laying their eggs in spring.” For a great view of the wetlands, visit the Education Centre 1-5pm, Sundays. Melbourne’s water storages increased by 21.4 billion litres during July, representing a 1.2 per cent gain. Storages finished the month at 69.5 percent capacity. This is lower than the same time last year, when storages were at 77.4 per cent. Wetlands wonders: A Swamp Harrier lands for a bit of hunting and, far right, a Blue Fairy Wren surveys Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands. Pictures: Gary Sissons
GRAND OPENING SPECIAL all you can eat
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Children under 5 eat for free
For bookings please call 03 9789 0696 Address: Shop 1, 197 Karingal Drive, Frankston VIC 3199 (Starzone Complex, Karingal Hub) *Bookings for functions available. *Offer valid for weekdays only until 28 August 15. *Mention this ad to receive special.
Frankston Times 17 August 2015
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