Ramraid victims speak out
THE struggling teenage parents of a new baby have been left without a car, pram or baby capsule after thieves stole their vehicle to ramraid an appliance shop.
Parramatta Park couple Amanda Calway and Francis McCarthy, both 18, last night were still in disbelief that their 1979 Holden Kingswood station wagon had been used to ram the front window of Radio Rentals in Mulgrave Rd early yesterday morning to steal LCD TVs before leading the police on a car chase across the city.
"They threw out all our stuff, including a brand new baby capsule we had just bought for our son last week, to fit in all the stuff they stole," the devastated new mum of six-month-old Lucien said.
"It's horrible. They would have seen the baby capsule in there, the baby pram, all the baby toys and the 'Baby on board' sticker and they still did it."
The car, which is not insured and which the couple say they cannot afford to replace, was returned to them yesterday afternoon but cannot be driven after it was damaged during the police chase.
"Francis is a full-time student at TAFE but it's a long walk from here and he's also trying to get some work. I don't know what we're going to do," Ms Calway said.
"We're trying to start a life together."
Jason Halliday, 29, and Elke Pattison, 25, were remanded in custody after appearing in Cairns Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, wilful damage and break and enter.
Outside the court, police said the pair allegedly drove the stolen Kingswood through the Radio Rentals shopfront and stole several TVs about 1am.
The driver allegedly crashed the vehicle into a fence at the Caltex Refinery on Draper St, then ran off while the female passenger remained in the car.
Police said a police dog and his handler caught the man after a chase, during which the policeman suffered barbed-wire cuts. Both defendants are expected to appear in court again on July 31.
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Disbelief: Francis McCarthy, Amanda Calway and Lucien McCarthy cannot drive their car and lost their possessions in a ramraid.
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