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A brutal message from Victoria Police: We will crush your car

Am I the only person that thinks the cars shouldn't be the ones copping the punishment for the crime?


Video supplied by Victoria Police show the moments where seven sports vehicles were crushed under Victoria's tough anti-hoon laws, and an eighth car is due to be crushed after its LPG tank is removed.

Above: A Nissan 180sx is stacked atop another two sports cars as they are all crushed.

Two people accused of organising underground hoon meetings have been arrested in early morning raids across Melbourne's southeastern suburbs.

The arrests come after the crushing of eight vehicles last Friday that were forfeited for destruction after being seized by police following hoon meets that occurred between November 2015 and January 2016.

Above: An R33 Nissan Skyline meets it demise at the hands of a vehicle crusher. Supplied: Victoria Police/Channel 7 News.

Victoria Police statement:

"Organisers of dangerous hoons meets across Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs have had early wake up calls from police, with four warrants executed this morning.

Warrants were executed in Moorabbin, Bentleigh East, Endeavour Hills and Ferntree Gully as part of an operation led by Taskforce Regarder.

Two people have been arrested so far in relation to planning and organising criminal intentional high-risk driving between June and September 2017. They are currently in custody.

Detective Inspector Mick Daly said the offenders were looking at serious criminal charges, including conduct endangering serious injury.

“Police have no tolerance for people who plan, organise or engage in deliberate, risky behaviour at hoon meets,” D/Insp Daly said.

“These irresponsible people, including the event organisers and drivers, place their lives and the lives of others at serious risk.

“We’ve previously seen the tragic consequences of hoon driving where lives have been lost, but the reckless driving behaviour continues to plague our suburbs.

“Police will continue to work with the community to identify, disrupt and apprehend anyone taking part in this kind of dangerous behaviour on our roads.”

Above: Two modified Holdens meet their end together.

The arrests come after the crushing of eight vehicles on Friday that were forfeited for destruction after being seized by police following hoon-meets that occurred between November 2015 and January 2016 in Lynbrook, Mulgrave and Dandenong South.

The vehicles destroyed were:

• A black Nissan coupe after a 25-year-old man was charged with reckless conduct endangering serious injury. The Keilor man was convicted in June 2016 where he was fined $2000.

• A white Holden sedan after a 24-year-old man was charged with three counts of reckless conduct endangering serious injury. The Boronia man was convicted in June 2016 where he was fined $1250 and had his licence suspended for three months.

• A red Nissan sedan after a 23-year-old man was charged with reckless conduct endangering serious injury. The Williams Landing man was convicted in June 2016 where he was fined $1250 and had his licence suspended for nine months.

• A grey Holden sedan after a 23-year-old man was charged with reckless conduct endangering serious injury. The Belgrave South man was convicted in June 2016 where he was fined $1500 and had his licence cancelled and disqualified for 12 months.

• A maroon Ford sedan after a 25-year-old man was charged with reckless conduct endangering serious injury. The Clyde North man was convicted in June 2016 where he received a 12 month Community Corrections order and had his licence cancelled and disqualified for 18 months.

• A black Holden utility after a 30-year-old man was charged with reckless conduct endangering serious injury. The Hampton Park man was convicted in June 2016 where he received a 12 month Community Corrections Order and had his licence cancelled and disqualified for nine months.

• A white Holden sedan after a 27-year-old man was charged with reckless conduct endangering serious injury. The Reservoir man was convicted in August 2016 where he was imprisoned for four months and had his licence cancelled and disqualified for nine months.

Police will destroy another vehicle later this week after an LPG tank is removed. The details relating to that vehicle are:

• A blue Ford sedan relating to an incident where a 20-year-old man was charged with reckless conduct endangering serious injury. The Cranbourne East man was convicted in June 2016 where he received a 12 month Community Corrections Order and had his licence cancelled and disqualified for 18 months.

Taskforce Regarder has arrested more than 55 offenders and seized 24 cars since it was set up to investigate the illegal hoon gatherings across Melbourne in November 2015.

The Taskforce, which comprises a team of detectives, highway patrol members and intelligence officers, works to disrupt these gatherings and gather evidence against highly organised offending groups."


Supplied: 7 News.

We have long wondered how effective the threat of the car being crushed is. Does it stop hooning? Not to mention the potential inequality of punishment between different offenders. The financial loss for one person may be in the realm of $100k whereas for someone else it might only be $1000 based on the cost of the car being forfeited.

We have also wondered what happens with vehicles with a bank loan, something we have asked Victoria Police, but are still waiting on a response for.

Let us know in the comments what you think about this strategy.

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