A senior Moe couple were shocked to discover two thirds of their side fence, 10 mature trees and a small fernery mowed over when they woke last Thursday morning.
Rhonda Read and Les Parkes expect to pay thousands of dollars to repair damages to the side of their property they believe were made during a police pursuit.
A neighbour told them a car had crashed into their fence while it was trying to evade police, leaving the couple left to fork out the costs.
“Naturally we were just flabbergasted, because first of all, I looked at it and thought, ‘what’s happened here?’,” Ms Read said.
“Then the neighbours told us what happened… the problem is we will be wearing the expense of it; our insurance won’t cover it all.
“We are out of pocket right from the get go.”
Ms Read and Mr Parkes have lived at the home for about seven years and do not recall a similar incident occurring in the area.
Ms Read believes the car’s occupants had not realised it was a no-through road and had veered onto the nature strip and crashed into her fence while trying to evade police.
A Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed Moe police had arrested two men and a teenage girl last Thursday after a short pursuit in town.
“Police noticed the trio in a car as it turned into (a Moe road) after it appeared to drive erratically into the dead end street about 12.30am,” the spokesperson said.
“Police activated their lights and sirens and a short pursuit followed before police called it off.
“Members came across the car in Narracan Drive and arrested the trio.
“An amount of cash and a quantity of alleged drugs was found.”
Despite feeling grateful no one was hurt, Ms Read said the event had emotionally and financially drained the couple.
She believes insurance will only cover about half of the expenses another price the couple will pay after believing things were improving.
“We thought things were on the up and up; Les had cancer and we got good news (recently) to say he was in remission,” Ms Read said.
“Everything was starting to improve, but then this happens and you’re out of pocket again.”
A 20-year-old Newborough man has been charged with possessing a drug of dependence and property believed to be the proceeds of crime.
A 22-year-old Morwell man was charged with possessing methamphetamine.
Both men will appear at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court in October.
A 17-year-old girl was charged with reckless conduct endangering persons and other traffic matters.
On Monday Victoria Police said the girl would appear at a children’s court at a later date.
