An Uber Eats driver has described the alleged carjacking in Perth that left her shaken after her BMW was taken during a food collection and later crashed following a police pursuit.
Reena Walia, 54, was picking up an order from a Chinese restaurant on Waratah Boulevard in Canning Vale shortly after 6.30pm on Wednesday when police allege she was approached and threatened.
Walia said she panicked and threw her keys while screaming, “help, help”. She then ran back into the restaurant to raise the alarm as her BMW 3 Series sedan was driven away.
“Terrifying. Nothing like this kind of (alleged) robbery has taken place with me (before),” she said.
Police pursuit ends in crash
Police allege the driver ignored directions to stop and accelerated away, leading officers on a chase across several suburbs.
The BMW crashed about 25 kilometres away near the intersection of Roe Highway and the Great Eastern Highway Bypass in Hazelmere, police said. The driver allegedly fled on foot before being found hiding in bushland a short time later.
A 32-year-old man from Jandakot has been charged with offences including robbery, stealing a motor vehicle, drug possession, reckless driving to escape pursuit and failing to stop for police.
He appeared at Armadale Magistrates Court on Thursday, where bail was not considered.
Walia said the incident had left her worried about returning to delivery work.
“I feel maybe next time when I do Uber Eats it’s going to be horrifying,” she said. “I don’t feel safe.”
