Terror as car ploughs into shopping centre
A stolen vehicle has driven through a Melbourne shopping centre as it tried avoid police.
Ambulance and police are on the scene at the Northland Shopping Centre on Murray Road, Preston after the terrifying incident at 4pm on Wednesday.
A woman named Tanya said she had been locked down in a Kmart on Wednesday afternoon.
'It sounded like gunshots, but it was a car,' she said.
'Some girls (in the store) saw it and they put the gates down straight away.'
Tanya told 3AW Drive up to 70 people were barricaded into the store with her.
Victoria Police said in a statement they attempted to block in the white LandCruiser, outside the shopping centre.
'The LandCruiser, with one male occupant on board, has taken evasive action to avoid the police and driven through the middle of the shopping centre,' police said in a statement.
'Thankfully, no one was struck by the car and there are no reported injuries.'
9News reported shoppers described 'hearing screams' as the vehicle drove 'at speed' through the shopping centre.
The centre was evacuated and all shops were closed.
One woman is being treated at the scene for shock, and no injuries have been reported at this stage.
The vehicle left the shopping centre and was last seen travelling towards Wood Street, and currently remains outstanding.
The incident marks the second time in nearly a month that Northland Shopping Centre has been forced into lockdown.
Last month, a brawl involving the use of machetes resulted in the evacuation of the shopping centre and the passing of a sweeping anti-machete ban by the Victorian government.
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