By Shamsiya Hussainpoor
A local resident of Upper Ferntree Gully is calling for action after her car was damaged in what she describes as a “reckless” rock-throwing incident near a local railway bridge.
Gail McIntosh, a woman in her 70s, was driving home from a supermarket run on Sunday 1 December when she was startled by a “thump” on her car while passing under a railway bridge near the fire brigade station.
“I just went under the bridge, and suddenly there was a real thump on my car,” Ms McIntosh said.
“I pulled over, got out, and sure enough, there was a dent in my car.”
The incident occurred on Sunday 1 December around 3pm, when Ms McIntosh noticed several young boys standing near the rail line – she described them as looking around 14 or 15 years old.
“There were three of them, maybe four. Two had helmets, and one was wearing a bright white t-shirt. They were standing above the rail line with rocks in their hands,” she said.
After the rock hit her vehicle, Ms McIntosh immediately pulled over and attempted to confront the boys.
“I yelled at them, and they looked at me, but they didn’t run off or anything. They just ignored me,” she said.
She later drove back to the area, where she saw the boys riding off on bikes towards the railway station.
It wasn’t the first time she had seen the group, earlier that day, while on her way to the supermarket, she spotted them near a car yard in Upper Ferntree Gully, again holding rocks and appearing to target vehicles in the service lane.
“They were definitely aiming at the cars,” she said.
Ms McIntosh promptly reported the incident to Belgrave Police.
“I spoke to a person named Jack at Belgrave Police. They said they’d send a car down to investigate, but they weren’t sure if they’d find anything since I was the only one who had reported being hit,” she said.
She has concerns that the situation could have been much worse.
“If a train had been coming through at that time, the boys could have seriously injured themselves, or worse,” she said.
“It’s lucky no one was on the train tracks, or it could have been much more dangerous.”
When asked about the emotional impact of the incident, Ms McIntosh said she felt angry rather than fearful.
“I don’t feel unsafe when I go out, but I do feel angry,” she said.
“It’s a reflection of what’s happening in the state right now, and it needs to be dealt with.”
She’s now seeking compensation for the damage to her vehicle, estimating repair costs between $500 and $1000.
“I’d like the police to charge them with damaging my car,” she said.
“They could have killed me or seriously injured someone. I just want something done about it.”
In addition to her own concerns, she took the opportunity to voice her frustration about local policing.
“I just wish the Premier would give our police the funding they need to do a great job,” she said.
“The police were really nice when I called, and they did their best to help.”
The incident has prompted questions about safety in the area, with local residents now calling for more vigilance and stronger enforcement of laws to protect both the public and property.
If you or someone you know has witnessed similar incidents, police encourage you to report it to Crime Stoppers or your local station.