A Whitfield resident has spoken of the moment she ran to her neighbour’s side as she screamed that her home had been “invaded by a man with a gun”.
A Melbourne family has been shaken after two machete-wielding men broke into their home to steal a car. Police say the men entered the Brighton home through an unlocked door in broad daylight yesterday afternoon. The owners’ dog barked away the intruders before they could steal anything.
Candy Willis was preparing food in her kitchen when she heard a loud scream coming from a nearby residence about 10am.
“I wasn’t sure if it was just neighbours’ kids or someone actually screaming,” Ms Willis said.
“I heard another scream and realised it was a lady so I hurriedly walked over with a neighbour from across the street and she was out the front crying that her home had been invaded by a man with a gun.”
Police on Tuesday afternoon said there was no gun involved in the home invasion, and a house-breaking implement had likely been mistaken for a weapon.
While the second neighbour was helping the woman calm down, Ms Willis called the police and gave them the description of the assailant provided by the victim.
Candy Willis, a resident of Whitfield and an ex-veteran, has been one among several recent victims of daylight break-ins. Picture: Sandhya Ram
She said the man was of young appearance, in his late teens, and ran when the neighbour began to scream.
“The girl couldn’t call because she didn’t have her phone. I guess the guy took it from her,” Ms Willis said.
Ms Willis said it was the third home invasion in as many weeks.
“I was robbed three weeks ago,” she said.
“My daughter was home with the dogs and thankfully scared them off.
“Another day one of our neighbours came out to find someone taking everything from his living room while he was in the bedroom.
“They’re not waiting until night time anymore, they don’t care if you’re home or not.”
The daughter of the victim, who did not wish to be named, said she was shocked the incident had happened in broad daylight, and that her mother had been targeted “a few times now”.
“There used to be some suburbs that were safe, some family-friendly suburbs, but now it’s all unsafe.”
Police investigate a crime scene in Whitfield after a home invasion on Tuesday. Picture: Sandhya Ram
Ms Willis said despite all residents installing security cameras, crime in the area was becoming increasingly worse.
“You don’t feel safe in your home,” she said.
“They don’t care if you’ve got big scary dogs, high fences or a security system. It doesn’t stop them.
“I’m a local, I’ve lived here all my life and we never had it like this when I was a kid.”
She said the only positive outcome amid the crime was the closeness it brought between neighbours.
“We always notice who’s coming in and out and we’ve all exchanged phone numbers now too.”
Rescue chopper scans the city in search of stolen car. Photo: Supplied
Earlier, a rescue chopper was deployed to assist police in the wake of Ms Willis’ report as a search unfolded for what was described at the time as a “stolen car”.
A Queensland Police Service spokesman said they were called to a job on Atherton Street in Whitfield on Tuesday morning at 10.15am, following reports of a stolen car.
Police, with the assistance of the Rescue 510 helicopter, are scanning the area by air to spot the stolen vehicle.
The neighbourhood is under close supervision by police.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
No arrests have been made.
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