A 28-year-old Tongan national was being transported from Villawood Detention Centre to Sydney Airport when he allegedly attacked the driver and passenger connected with the Australian Border Force and escaped the vehicle.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Police are asking for public assistance now to locate a 28-year-old male who may be able to assist us with our inquiries.
00:09He is a Tongan national. He's described 28 years old, islander appearance, large build.
00:16He's about 180 centimetres tall and unshaven.
00:19When he was last seen, he was wearing a dark jacket, dark pants and black and white sneakers.
00:25If members of the public see this male, we ask that they contact 000.
00:30And further, if they have any other information on this male's whereabouts, if they contact Granville Police or Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
00:39A bit of information, if you've got it, on how he managed to get free.
00:46It's still early in our investigation, how we believe while he was in the vehicle, he's assaulted both the driver and passenger and allowing him to escape the car.
00:56There was a small sort of sharpened blade that was seen or was found at the scene.
01:04Can you tell us a bit about that or what potentially police will allege that is?
01:08Yeah, we're still making inquiries as to what the weapon was that was used.
01:12However, we believe one of the victims was stabbed with a sharpened metal object.
01:17Do we know as well if he was handcuffed or not?
01:23That's forming part of our inquiries.
01:26We are working closely with Australian Border Force and Home Affairs to progress this investigation.
01:31The victims are contractors that work for Villawood Detention Centre.
01:44It's our understanding that at the time the male was being transported from Villawood to Sydney Airport.
01:50Is the man known to be violent or anything like that or is this a bit of a surprise?
01:54The male is known to police and his background will form part of our inquiries.
02:01What do we need the public to do?
02:03He's known to frequent something like, is that Kendrith Pritchard area?
02:07Is that where the area of concern is for Villawood?
02:11Yeah, the male is known to frequent Mount Pritchard and other areas in southwest Sydney.
02:17He was last tracked by our dog squad westbound towards Harris Park from James Roost Drive.
02:22So we asked members of the public if they do cite him to contact 000, not to approach,
02:28and if there is any other information to contact Crimestoppers.
02:31To ask the two victims that were assaulted, are they having any protection measures while they're in the car or anything like that?
02:41That's forming part of our inquiries.
02:43I don't want to try and pipe it up or anything, but should the public be worried about this man?
02:49Do they need to, is there a potential that could harm a member of the public to police him?
02:54This was obviously a violent offence that's occurred, so we do ask members of the public to be wary
03:00if they believe they see him and contact us not to approach him.