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The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 5

Publication:
The Agei
Location:
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Issue Date:
Page:
5
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

Age NEWS 21 April 1991 The Sunday If" ii A mam iin tine, dmk gratters a Mappy.to A week ago last night, Karmein Chan was taken, at knifepoint, from her home. Paul Daley and Antony Catalano background the family, the crime and the efforts of the police in trying to find Karmein and her VP Mi I 4 -OHN and Phyllis Chan met and ev mm if pleads for her daughter's safe return; -J i IT. 1 5 C' 15! -p pi XI two youngest would be able to spend more time with the big sister they Idolised, who cared for them and read them English and Chinese stories each night Karmein planned to fill the day with sport and study. But It was also a day that would change the lives of Karmein, her family and most who know her. Mr Chan drove Karmein to her tennis lesson at the Camberwell Tennis Centre In Bulleen Road, North Bal-wyn, at 9 am.

About an hour later, her mother collected her in one of the family's two Mercedes and took her to the Bulleen Plaza shopping centre for 1 breakfast Police say Karmein said nothing of significance to her tennis coach, who had been tutoring her for the past year. There was nothing to suggest her movements were being watched. After breakfast Mrs Chan took Karmein to the Bulleen Library, where she spent about an hour researching a school project A married couple, friends of Mr and Mrs Chan, collected Karmein. They collected her sisters, -too, who bad been at Chinese lessons, and took them to the family's Lower Plenty restaurant Karmein and her sisters regularly dined at one of the restaurants. As usual, they ate their meals In the kitchen with their mother and were seen dur-i lng the afternoon playing outside the restaurant About 6.30 pm, Phyllis Chan said goodnight to her daughters.

A man employed at the restaurant drove them -home. Because the Chans have no close family in Melbourne, they have a housekeeper who sometimes looks after the children while the Chans are -at work. But Karmein was often left in charge. She bathed her sisters, changed them Into their pyjamas and read them bed-time stories. Like the children of many bard-working Chinese Immigrants, Karmein, as the eldest daughter, was required to take on some responsibilities.

On this occasion, Karmein was left -In charge. The sisters spent an hour The scene of the crime: Serpens Road, married soon after arriving In Australia from Hong Kong in 1976. They were in their earlv 20s, and for them Australia was a land of unbridled opportunity, where hard work would provide a comfortable future. Fifteen years later, now with three girls aged seven, nine and 13, the Chans own two lucrative Ming's Chinese restaurants, one in Main Road, Lower Plenty, the other at the Bulleen Plaza, businesses they built from scratch. Mrs Chan, 38, works at the Lower Plenty restaurant for up to 18 hours a day.

Mr Chan, 40, also works about 18 hours a day, both at the restaurant and on other business ventures. They supervise the staff, keep the accounts and oversee the kitchen. Mrs Chan's bright personality made her "(he life of the She often chats to regular diners and sometimes sits at their tables. After marrying in the late 1970s, the Chans lived at Bulleen until eight: years ago, when they bought a large house In Serpens Road, Templestowe. It has five bedrooms, three large living areas and a tennis court The single-storey, open-plan home, which the Chans almost own outright, Is now -worth more than SI million.

Their children, Karen, 7, Karly, 9, and Karmein, 13, attend a private school, the Presbyterian Ladies College at Burwood, where the annual fees are more than $6500 a student Karmein, despite her susceptibility to asthma, took tennis lessons at the Camberwell Tennis Centre every Saturday for the past year. The three girls also took Chinese lessons once a week and spoke Chinese and English at home. Karmein, a year-eight student Is known for her politeness and bard work. She wants to be a barrister when she finishes school. The headmaster of PLC, Mr William Mackay, says Karmein Is "charming, polite, enthusiastic and Like most school children, the girls were excited about the first day of their holidays, Saturday 13 April.

The ate Grief: Mr Chan comforts his wife as she Kidnapped: Karmein, the Chans' eldest Church Road. It was there that the dogs lost the trail, indicating that perhaps, the man forced Karmein Into a car. By 10.30 pm, 14 more police cars had arrived at the Chans' home. Uniformed police sealed off the house until detectives and forensic experts arrived a short time later. Detective Inspector David Sprague, the head of the Victoria Police rape squad, was one of the first detectives to arrive.

He coordinated the "crime scene" while other police, Including members of the community policing squad, calmed the parents and tried to get an account from the girls. But It was several days before Karen and Karly were calm enough to give an accurate description of Kar-mein's abductor. The first description they gave a masked man carrying a large knife and dressed in a tracksult offered only cold comfort to the police. Inspector Sprague knew It was likely he was looking for a man whose crimes he was already familiar with. On Boxing Day 1988, Sharon Wills, 10, was abducted from her Rlngwood home by a masked man carrying a gun and a knife.

After tying up the parents and her younger brother, he kidnapped Sharon. He kept her for 18 hours, assaulted her, and dumped ber In a nearby suburb. She was wearing only a green garbage bag. On 3 July 1990, Nicola Lynas, 13, was kidnapped by a masked man who broke Into her parents' Canterbury home. Her elder sister was bound and gagged and locked In a bedroom.

Nicola was released SO hours later In Kew, after the man had assaulted her. The kidnapper threw ber from a car in Tennyson Street Kew. She was wearing only a blanket Police believe the kidnapper released her because it was her birthday. Nicola was also a student at the Presbyterian Ladies' College. Lights from the police cars created an eerie blue haze In Serpells Road.

While neighbors crowded outside the bouse, the cries of John and Phyllis Chan could be heard above the racket of the police helicopter. Inspector Sprague was one of the first detectives to interview Mr Chan. He asked if he had any known enemies or If there was any reason why lights on, on the left with their father at home before he left for the Lower Plenty restaurant Then Karmein read stories to her sisters before they watched a television special about Marilyn Monroe In one of the bedrooms. But within the high brick fence and the metal, electronically-operated, security gate, a man wearing a balacla- va was waiting In the darkness. He carried a large knife.

He also carried a can of white aerosol spray paint He wrote In large let-ters on the family's work car, a late model Toyota Camry, parked on the front lawn, "More to and "Asian drug He signed the car It Is believed he was right handed. Police have investigated possible Chinese organised crime links, but are now confident it was an attempt to Op.a. 6 months yon was abducted from the house with the ttctmn OJUJANNE TEDDER large, black-handled knife. He also let them know be was in charge. He threatened them verbally and with the knife, but police have not released what he said.

One of the little girls said "it was a big He then locked Karen and Karly in another part of the house, where be is believed to have tied them up. But police are refusing to say exactly how they were detained. The house was not ransacked and nothing was taken. The last time they saw Karmein she was barefoot and wore only a white, -short-sleeved, knee-length nightie, with a blue flower pattern. Karly and Karen freed themselves soon after Karmein was taken from the house.

About 9.43 pm, about IS minutes after it is believed the man left the bouse with Karmein, Karly rang her father at the restaurant "Daddy come home. A man with a knife, he took Karmein." He left Immediately and found them In the laundry of the house. Karen and Karly were shaking and crying. "We're frightened. The man, he took Karmein," one of them said.

Mr Chan left them in the laundry and ran through the house, looking for his eldest daughter. Not finding her, he dialled 11444 the police D-24 direct dial number at Russell Street police station. "My daughter Is gone, a man with a knife took her from our home," he said. A radio message sent Immediately to a police car In the area, said: "Attend at Serpells Road for a report of an abduction of a 13-year-old girl from ber house. Offender believed to be a masked man with a knife." Immediately realising a possible link with previous abductions of schoolgirls, a police operation began.

All available police units and resources, including the police helicopter and sniffer dogs, were mobilised. Roads were sealed off while ground units began searching side streets, the local cemetery and front gardens. A uniformed sergeant from the Don-caster police station was the first to arrive at the house. Mr Chan repeated what had happened: "Karmein Is gone. A man with a knife come to the house and took her away." Sniffer dogs picked up the kidnapper's scent and followed It to the front of a house, north of Serpells Road, In Templestowe, where Karmein Chan divert their attention.

They say Mr Chan's past is "squeaky Some of the doors and windows of the house were unlocked and it Is believed the man may have tampered with the sophisticated, remote-controlled security gate. He had been watching the Chan's house and there Is little doubt he knew that three girls were alone. He found only Karmein and Karly In the front hallway, and began searching for the youngest child. He forced Karmein and Karly into the bedroom at knlfe-polnt where they bad been watching television. There, he found the youngest girl, Karen, hunched behind the door, whimpering.

By this time the man whose face was concealed by a blue or green balaclava made sure they could see his DINING OUT Before or after the show Then check the informative guide which is published every TUESDAY and FRIDAY in 'THE AGE" See the next issue daughter. somebody might kidnap one of daughters. "I know nobody who might want to, take my daughter," Mr Chan In Karmeln's bedroom, which police say was adorned with the "uaa-J al rock star posters and cuddly toys; belonging to a young there were-; no clues to her abductor's Identltst'CT" He did not take Karmeln's asthmaj pump, which she needs to quell oocC? slonal asthma attacks. She also requires occasional medication for-a-', bout of glandular fever she badtlS months ago. ZZ A week after Karmein Chan's induction, police are little closer 30 catching ber kidnapper, a man they; have nick-named "Mr because I of the way he has treated his prevapHJ victims.

Twenty-five detectives from the ma: Jor crime and rape squads have; worked around the clock Interviewing known sex offenders and child abduc: tors. They have knocked on hundreds! of doors in the eastern suburbs. Inspector Sprague said that In; '29 years with the Victoria Police he had? never tried to track a cooler, more" calculating criminal with such an tensive knowledge of forensic science-, i Asked if the kidnapper's knowledge; of forensic science Indicated he could; be a former policeman, Inspector Sprague said: "It could Just as welCbe: a policeman who Is working now: -It; could be a former policeman. It could? also be a solicitor or a barrister drtlt; could just be somebody who Is well-; read In forensic medicine." Detectives have travelled to New South Wales and Sydney In the pad week to interview suspects. r'z' They have also sent Informafiois about the abductions of Nicola LynasM Sharon Wills and Karmein Chan to the; Federal Bureau of Investigation- 4 America.

After applying sophisticated! computer analysis of the crimes, the, FBI has returned a description of lhc( offender. However, Inspector Sprague: Is unwilling to release the Detectives are hopeful that Kui meln will be returned. "We are ever optimistic If we are dealing wlta the same person who took Sharon and; Nicola, we know that he displays sympathy to his victims. We also knowJiB Is very clever. We think that he knows it Is in everyone's best Interests Id release Karmein." -i 'Daddy come home.

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Pages Available:
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Years Available:
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