East Victoria Park: Man accused of tricking woman in terrifying hitchhiking ploy before carjacking her

A 45-year-old man is behind bars after allegedly fooling an innocent woman with a terrifying hitchhiking ploy before carjacking her car and speeding away in Perth’s inner suburbs earlier this week. Police say the 72-year-old was driving her white Subaru XV hatchback along Swansea Street, in East Victoria Park, when she was flagged down by a man about 7.05pm on Monday. The pair were not known to each other. Police allege the man forced the driver’s door open and pulled the woman out of her vehicle, before stealing her car and speeding off towards Welshpool Road. Fortunately, the woman was not injured and ran to a nearby car dealership for help, where they contacted police. Meanwhile, the man — who did not hold a valid driver’s license — allegedly drove the stolen Subaru at more than 145km/h through a speed camera at the Great Eastern Highway bypass, near Perth Airport. He is also accused of stealing food from a service station and unlawfully entering a secure area of a logistics company before the alleged robbery. The Subaru was found abandoned by a member of the public at an apartment complex on Bulong Street, in Redcliffe, later that evening. The 45-year-old was arrested in the Perth CBD the following day and charged with six offences including aggravated robbery, stealing a motor vehicle and no authority to drive. Bail was refused and he is due to face Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday.