Melbourne has been rocked by two major incidents overnight, with police launching a manhunt for armed home invaders in the city's southwest and engineers scrambling to contain a large sinkhole linked to a major road project in the northeast.
Masked Trio Holds Mother, Son at Gunpoint
In a terrifying early morning ordeal, a mother and her 16-year-old son were held at gunpoint inside their Altona North home. The incident occurred around 2:30am on Tuesday when three masked offenders smashed their way into the property.
The intruders confronted the residents before stealing a safe and fleeing the scene in a getaway car. A major police operation is now underway to track down the trio. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from the area which captured suspects and a vehicle of interest on the road outside the home.
Major Sinkhole Opens Above Tunnel Project
Meanwhile, in Melbourne's northeast, a significant sinkhole has opened up directly above the path of the new North East Link tunnel project. The hole was discovered by locals on the oval at AJ Burkitt Reserve in Heidelberg on Monday evening.
The ground collapse occurred where boring machines are carving out the new twin road tunnels approximately 45 metres underground. The sinkhole is reported to be roughly 10 metres across and several metres deep.
Response and Investigations Underway
Authorities have directly linked the sinkhole to the tunnel boring machine operating below. Crews have urgently moved to stabilise the area and fence it off to ensure public safety.
In Altona North, forensic teams are examining the home invasion scene. Police are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with information about the armed offenders to come forward immediately.
These two unrelated incidents have caused significant disruption and concern in their respective communities, with investigations continuing into both the criminal act and the engineering challenge.
