A 68-year-old working-class man lies critically injured in a Melbourne hospital after confronting car thieves Saturday night. The man, identified by neighbors as George, was struck by his own vehicle in Heidelberg West while attempting to prevent its theft. He sustained life-threatening injuries.
Emergency services were called to Blackwood Parade in Heidelberg West around 7:30 PM Saturday. Victoria Police reported that the 68-year-old was hit by his car as an unknown offender fled the scene. No arrests have been made in the incident.
The Cost of Property
Kim Tripitiris, a Heidelberg West resident and neighbor, was alerted by screams and discovered George seriously injured in his driveway. She and her partner immediately began performing CPR. "He was lying there for 30 minutes before police were even called," Ms. Tripitiris stated, describing the scene as "really horrible." She added, "His mouth was full of blood … it's going to haunt me for a while."
Ms. Tripitiris recounted that George "did pass away for a couple minutes" before her partner's chest compressions revived him. "He came back, thank god," she said. The ambulance eventually arrived, but its arrival "just seemed like forever." She described George as "an old knockabout" who was deeply valued by the local community. "We love George around here, he's very important to us," Ms. Tripitiris affirmed. "He loved his cars … he was just a lovely down-to-earth guy, and no one deserves this."
The State's Response
Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives attended the scene following the incident. Police have stated that their investigation is ongoing. Authorities have appealed to the public for information or dash-camera footage, directing calls to Crime Stoppers. The state's apparatus, through its police force, responds to the aftermath of such property crimes, but its presence did not prevent the critical injury of a community member struggling to protect his possessions.