Fence crash tip-off

Hallam resident Basil Harrison may have stumbled across some new information after a car ploughed through his front fence last week. 133129 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

By LACHLAN MOORHEAD

A HALLAM grandfather whose front fence was left wrecked last week after a car reversed through it may have put the police on the trail of the culprit.
The incident, which occurred last Tuesday, is the second time in three years that a car has crashed through Basil Harrison’s front fence in Appilla Close, a dead-end street that runs off Hinrichsen Drive.
Mr Harrison was out walking his pet shih tzu on Saturday when he passed a car that he said looked similar to the vehicle wrecked his fence.
Mr Harrison then went to the Endeavour Hills Police Station to report the information.
The incident is still being investigated.
“It was raining when the car crashed through the fence, but I still memorised the colour and part of the number plate,” Mr Harrison said.
“I went straight to the cops on Saturday.
“I’m South African – we South Africans don’t waste any time!”
Mr Harrison was sitting on his bed about 2.45pm last Tuesday afternoon, using his computer tablet, when he heard a “big bang”.
He thought it was thunder but when Mr Harrison looked out the window, he saw a car had reversed through his fence while trying to turn.
“My grandkids had just moved from the driveway,” Mr Harrison said.
“They could have been killed.”
Mr Harrison said it was hard to sleep at night because his street was always used as a playground for hoons.
“It’s the worst road in the world,” he said.
The City of Casey Council last year installed a speed hump in Hinrichsen Drive, near Keppel Drive, after a 100-signature petition was presented last year.
But Mr Harrison said more speed humps were desperately needed near the turn-off to his street.
Casey’s transport acting manager Anitha Ajay said the council would investigate the installation of additional traffic calming measures in Hinrichsen Drive following consultation with residents “later this year”.
“Council has previously identified one section of Hinrichsen Drive where design works were undertaken and a speed hump was installed on the northern approach to the intersection of Hinrichsen Drive/Keppel Drive,” Mr Ajay said.
“A report on the LTM Program and review of locations for traffic calming measures was considered by the council at its meeting on 19 August 2014.
“Hinrichsen Drive has been identified as a location which warrants consideration of treatments through the Local Traffic Management (LTM) Program.”
Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppers.com.au.