A Melbourne couple's festive outing to view Christmas lights turned into a dramatic rescue mission after they intervened to save a man from a violent kidnapping by machete-wielding assailants.
Christmas Spirit Interrupted by a Cry for Help
The incident unfolded on Monday night around 9:50pm in the southeastern suburb of Pakenham. Chris and his wife were driving around admiring neighbourhood Christmas displays when they noticed a man desperately calling for help from inside another vehicle.
The couple, concerned by what they saw, decided to follow the car as it began travelling back towards Melbourne. Chris told 7NEWS he witnessed the man's repeated attempts to escape his captors. "They kept trying to get him back in the car and they kept closing the door on him," he said. "You could see him being pulled back into the car and he was trying to get out really the whole way."
A Desperate Escape and Violent Attack
The situation escalated on Homestead Road in the nearby suburb of Berwick. The 23-year-old victim managed to leap from the moving vehicle, but was immediately set upon by three people from the car.
Footage of the incident shows the man lying on the road while being attacked by two individuals. One of the assailants was visibly armed with a machete during the assault. Despite the violence, the young man managed to break free and run towards the couple's car, flagging them down for help.
"He was beside himself," Chris recounted. The grateful victim told his rescuers, "thank you so much. You guys saved my life." Chris added that the traumatised man "didn't really want to go into what was actually happening" prior to the kidnapping.
Aftermath and Police Investigation
The Good Samaritans gave the man refuge in their car as his attackers fled the scene. They then drove him to a nearby car park where they contacted emergency services.
The victim was transported to hospital with injuries that were assessed as non-life-threatening. He has since been interviewed by police investigators who are working to piece together the events leading up to the violent ordeal.
In a statement, police indicated that the exact circumstances are still being established, but it is believed the parties involved were known to each other. Authorities have urged anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers anonymously.
The brave actions of the couple, who chose to act during what was meant to be a cheerful holiday activity, ultimately provided a critical escape route for the victim, turning a night of potential tragedy into one of lifesaving intervention.
