VIC:Carjacker stabs victim in the neck

AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-2010
VIC:Carjacker stabs victim in the neck

By Kellee Nolan

MELBOURNE, Aug 25 AAP - A Melbourne man savagely attacked by a carjacker says he'd
already handed over the car keys when he was stabbed in the neck.

Just before 6am (AEST) on Wednesday Kane Cashin, of Thornbury, found the thief sitting
inside the car which the 20-year-old floor tiler had left parked and locked in the street
outside his home.

When Mr Cashin banged on the the passenger window, he expected him to flee, but instead
the intruder confronted him, demanded his car keys and said "would you like to get stabbed?".

"That's when I got a bit shaken, up as you would; no-one really wants to get stabbed,"

Mr Cashin later told reporters.

"And so I guess (I was) pretty frightened in that sort of situation."

Mr Cashin turned to run but the thief stabbed him in the right upper back.

As he tried to get away, Mr Cashin tripped but managed to throw the car keys towards
his attacker.

But rather than grabbing them and taking off, the man stabbed Mr Cashin in the throat
before driving away in the blue 180SX Nissan Coupe, registration number PUN 342.

"It's a bit low, I would have thought ... putting someone's life at risk just over
a car," Mr Cashin said.

"The biggest thing that's got me is, why stab me in the throat after he's got what
he wants? I'm dumbfounded by that."

After raising the alarm with his housemate at home, Mr Cashin was treated at the Austin Hospital.

He said doctors believed the weapon was a blunt object, which caused cuts, swelling
and bruising on his neck.

Mr Cashin said he had saved for about a year and also taken out a loan to buy the car
last December.

"I love my car, it's my pride and joy; I love working on it. Me and my mates get together
and do a bit of work on it sometimes," he said.

"I have a very strong passion for cars and I've always wanted that car for a long time
and I've worked hard to save up the money for it."

He was a floor-tiler and needed his car to travel to jobs, he said.

Detective-Sergeant Andrew Lawrence said police believe the weapon was a screwdriver
or something similar.

The thief is described as being in his 30s, of Mediterranean appearance, with a skinny
build, about 183 centimetres tall and unshaven.

He was wearing a black hoodie with a white motif on the front and white on the sleeves,
a black beanie that may have had a white logo, dark track pants and runners.

Mr Cashin said if it happened again he would hand over the keys immediately, but his
first instincts had been to resist and run.

He appealed for help in tracking down the car.

"I love my car and if anyone can do anything to help me get it back, I wouldn't know
what to say."

AAP kn/gfr/it/was

KEYWORD: CARJACK WRAP (PIX AVAILABLE)

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