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Would-Be Melbourne Carjackers Foiled In Getaway Plan Because Vehicle Was A Manual

Would-Be Melbourne Carjackers Foiled In Getaway Plan Because Vehicle Was A Manual

The armed duo couldn't start the car and had to run away.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Two armed would-be robbers have failed in their attempt to steal a car in Melbourne because the vehicle was a manual.

According to Victoria Police, two men used a knife to force a bloke to hand over his wallet and keys after he was done parking his vehicle in Bentleigh early yesterday morning.

The victim complied and tossed his personal belongings. But the getaway plan failed spectacularly when the thieves jumped into the vehicle.

Victoria Police say the Hyundai i30 was a manual and the wannabe robbers didn't know how to start it.

A police spokesperson told News Corp: "[Detectives] think that these two crooks might have only had an automatic licence."

Assumably frustrated with not being able to get the show on the road (literally), the two men fled from the scene.

PA

Authorities are now appealing for information on the incident. If anyone was on or near on Tovan Akas Avenue at 3:30 on Monday (May 3) morning and heard or saw something, they're encouraged to come forward.

While it might sound outrageous that someone might not be able to drive a manual car, the rate of stick motorists in Australia is dwindling.

Figures given to CarAdvice last year revealed the number of people opting for manual Toyota vehicles has been plummeting since 2015.

Between 2015 to 2019, the demand for manual Toyota Corolla hatches fell 80 per cent, and it dropped 86 per cent for the sedan variant.

A spokesperson for the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) told the car publication that they have noticed a declining number of manual drivers over the past decade.

"In the last 10 years we've seen a steady decline in people requesting manual RACV Drive School lessons. Requests for manual Drive School cars have been trending down from 38 per cent of requests in 2010 to just 12 per cent of requests in 2019," the spokesperson said.

"We're also seeing more regional Learner drivers making the shift to automatic vehicles. This is partly due to more farm and heavy vehicles having an automatic gearbox, which has meant there is less need for a manual licence in those areas."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Fail, Australia