APC rampage in Sydney.

[corsair67]

I guess he doesn't like mobile phones either?

Dave, don't you go getting any ideas now. ;D

Maybe the NZ Govt was right to melt down all the ex-NZ Army M113s, as they're a very powerful tool of dissent! ;D


Man goes on rampage with tank
July 14, 2007.


A MAN accused of going on a rampage in an armoured personnel carrier (APC) in Sydney has been refused bail.

John Robert Patterson, 45, allegedly led officers on a 90-minute chase through six suburbs in Sydney's west as he crashed the privately-owned APC through fences, mobile phone towers, telecommunication relay sheds and an electrical substation at about 2am (AEST) today.

The man from Dharruk, in Sydney's west, was arrested after the APC stalled on its way to damaging a seventh property, police said.

He was refused bail in Parramatta Bail Court today.

Defence lawyer Ivan Bertoia told the court that Patterson claimed "that certainly he had authority to behave in such a manner".

In refusing bail, the magistrate recommended that Patterson, who had facial lacerations and a swollen left eye, receive medical and psychiatric attention.

The hearing was adjourned to Penrith local court on July 16.

Mobile phone services where the chase occurred were disrupted while technicians waited to gain entry to the crime scenes, police said.

Police on patrol had noticed the APC allegedly being used to destroy an electricity substation and followed the carrier through the suburbs of Mt Druitt, Dharruk, Emerton, Glendenning and Plumpton.

The pursuit ended in Dean Park when the vehicle stalled as it was being driven towards another mobile phone tower, police said.

Police arrested Patterson and charged him with numerous offences including malicious damage, break, enter and steal, predatory driving, possession of a prohibited drug, use of a weapon to avoid apprehension and driving in a dangerous manner.

- AAP

[flyjoe180]

What a nutter, there was a time when you would have said "only in America".

[corsair67]

Yes, I remember when that idiot went on a rampage in LA with an M60 tank. Maybe that's where our Sydney drug addled idiot got his inspiration from?

Either way, he's obviously got some issues to deal with.

[dav3469]

corsair67 said:

Yes, I remember when that idiot went on a rampage in LA with an M60 tank.

Hey, we have enough fruits and nuts in L.A. without taking claim of someone elses! ;D

San Diego can claim the M-60.

Left a trail of flattened cars, damaged roads, and busted up median dividers. He didn't make out as well as the APC driver however.

[corsair67]

Sorry Dave. Anyway, isn't San Diego just down the road a little bit? ;D

[flyjoe180]

Was that the one they threw hand grenades into?

[corsair67]

No, shot several times I believe.

The Police tried to get him to surrender, but I gather he wouldn't.

[flyjoe180]

An image of the driver?

[Dave Homewood]

I would bet the news agencies in Australia loved this story, with live helicopter shots all the way through?

I guess he thought the cellphone towers were stealing his thoughts?

[corsair67]

Apparently the APC was privately owned, and allegedly Patterson had been assisting the owner to restore it.

What a top bloke - helping someone build something up, then stealing it and damaging it.

Nice work, you moron!

[corsair67]

This says it all -

"Former-employer Greg Morris said Patterson had once done telecommunications work for the army and believed mobile phone waves had harmed his mental state."


Damage from tank rampage at least $6m
By Katherine Danks | July 16, 2007.

A SYDNEY man accused of stealing an ex-army tank and demolishing a string of mobile phone towers also damaged another tank before his multi-million dollar rampage, a court was told today.

John Robert Patterson, 35, of Dharruk, was formerly refused bail for a second time in Penrith Local Court after allegedly leading police on a bizarre chase through six western Sydney suburbs early on Saturday.

Police say the privately owned Trojan armoured personnel carrier (APC), usually hired out for weddings and monster truck shows, was used to ram seven mobile phone towers and fences.

Outside court, an insurance industry source said the estimated total cost of the damage to the antennas and surrounding property was at least $6 million.

In the charge papers tendered in court, police said Patterson stole the $1 million black ex-British army tank from his former-employer, A-One Lift Truck Services, between 11pm on Friday and 2am on Saturday (AEST).

It's alleged that before stealing the tank from the Minchinbury business, Patterson also damaged a British-made FV432 APC.

The court papers did not specify how the FV432 was damaged.

Police said that after driving the Trojan APC onto the road, Patterson used it to ram an Optus mobile phone antenna in Minchinbury, then drove into a Crown Castle International communications building and parameter fence in the same suburb.

Patterson allegedly then targeted a Telstra communications shelter and fence at Dean Park before using the tank to attack a Hutchinson communications shed and fence at nearby Glendenning.

The court was told that the tank then smashed through a brick wall and took out five traffic bollards at Telstra in Plumpton before ramming a Crown Castle International phone tower in the same suburb.

Patterson then allegedly drove to Emmerton, where the tank knocked down a Crown Castle International building and fence before being used to ram a tower belonging to the same company in Mt Druitt.

The pursuit ended when the tank stalled as Patterson allegedly tried to destroy more property in Dean Park at about 3.30am (AEST).

Former-employer Greg Morris said Patterson had once done telecommunications work for the army and believed mobile phone waves had harmed his mental state.

Patterson has been charged with 15 offences, including predatory driving, possession of a prohibited drug and eight counts of malicious damage.

He did not apply for bail, which was formerly refused by magistrate Paul Sloane, who remanded him in custody to the same court via audio-visual link on September 28.

[30sqnatc]

I think he got the idea from the Army APCs previously stolen in Aussie. Didn't one make it over the Sydney Harbour Bridge after being taken from Holsworthy?

On the serious side this is just another nail in the coffin that is increasingly stopping sale of ex defence equipment to collectors and civilians in general.