Four teens charged after elderly woman, 73, ‘assaulted during carjacking’

Four teenagers have been charged over the alleged assault and carjacking of a 73-year-old woman at a shopping centre in southeast Queensland.

The woman was allegedly attacked in the car park at Browns Plains about 2.30pm on Tuesday afternoon, with one teenage girl accused of pushing the woman before grabbing her keys and throwing them to another girl.

The second girl allegedly picked up the other girl and two male teenagers in a vehicle before leaving the carpark. All four teenagers were located a short time later nearby. The victim was not physically injured in the incident.

A 19-year-old Adare man, who has been charged with two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, will face Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old Logan Reserve girl and a 16-year-old Boronia Heights boy have been charged with one count each of robbery with violence and dangerous operation of a vehicle, unlicensed driving, obstructing police and two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle. The 16-year-old has also been charged with two counts of stealing and trespass.

A 14-year-old Harristown girl has also been charged with one count each of robbery with violence and stealing and two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

The three teenagers will be dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act.

Read more: Elderly man, 91, ‘threatened and robbed by armed gang of children’

The shocking incident follows reports a grandfather was attacked by a group of drunk thugs while he was setting up his market stall in a coastal city in Western Australia last month.

Sam Balacchino, 71, is recovering from a black eye and deep cut to his right cheek after he was allegedly set upon at the Smart Street Markets in Mandurah, Perth Now reports.

Speaking to the news outlet about the horrible incident, the grandad claimed one of the thugs stole a watermelon from his stall and kicked it to the ground while another threw an apple at his face.

“I tripped and then went on the ground and then he hit me,” he explained.

“I got a cut up here and then that’s it, they run away.”

The damage to Sam’s eye was apparently so bad that doctors claimed it’s lucky he didn’t lose an eye. Shocked by what had occurred the concerned grandfather said he would be keeping some pepper spray on hand to protect themselves next time.

“I’m sorry, we’ve had enough of this,” Sam admitted. “We can’t take it anymore.”

According to Perth Now the matter is being investigated by WA Police with anyone with information about the attack urged to come forward.

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