OUR HISTORY
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In a crime that stunned the nation, police were led on an extensive manhunt to track down a kidnapper. Police Life looks back on this historic case. On 6 October, 1972, Edwin John Eastwood stormed into Faraday State Primary School near Castlemaine, armed with a rifle and said “school’s over for today, kids”. Along with his accomplice Robert Clyde Boland, Eastwood kidnapped six children and their teacher, Mary Gibbs, and drove them into bushland. The kidnappers threatened to kill all hostages if their $1 million ransom was not paid. Police quickly made a plan. Then Education Minister Lindsay Thompson was asked to drop the ransom money off, while then Assistant Commissioner Bill Crowley acted as his driver.
Hidden underneath a blanket in the back seat was the assistant commissioner at the time, Mick Miller, who later went on to become chief commissioner. He described it as a difficult situation. “If you can’t endeavour the safe release of hostages within 24 hours, it might simply be too late,” Mr Miller said. “In the end, the kidnappers didn’t show up and we soon found out that the hostages had escaped.” Ms Gibbs and the children managed to escape from the van they were locked in after the 20-year-old teacher kicked out a door panel. After an extensive manhunt, the kidnappers were caught and sentenced to 15 and 17 years’ jail. While serving his sentence in December 1976, Eastwood escaped from Geelong Prison and, yet again, landed himself in trouble.
On 15 February, 1977, he kidnapped another teacher and nine students from Wooreen State School in South Gippsland and chained them up with six other hostages in remote bushland. Eventually, one of the adults managed to free himself and notified police. Road blocks were set up around Eastwood’s hiding spot and, after a tense stand-off and being shot in the leg by police, he was recaptured.
Above Piece of history Police at the scene of the Wooreen kidnappings. Editorial: Mandi Santic
POLICE LIFE | SUMMER 2015
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