A former Miss Universe Australia finalist and her father have described the terrifying moment they confronted three alleged thieves during an attempted carjacking in Melbourne.
Elizabeth Kalash, 28, stepped in to protect her 60-year-old father, Amir, after he was attacked by three people who allegedly tried to steal her car in Coburg on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 9News Australia reported.
“I saw my father being pushed, shoved, assaulted and thrown to the ground, and I instinctively tried to defend him,” Elizabeth told the outlet, which shared footage of the confrontation. “They then tried to come at me and, after that, they fled — but came back to grab items they’d dropped.”
According to a press release from Victoria Police, the incident began when one of the suspects was seen sitting inside a grey Hyundai by a male victim at a residential address on May Street at around 12:20 p.m. local time. The 60-year-old man confronted the person in the car and was then attacked.
“The victim’s daughter heard the commotion and came to assist when a stolen silver Lexus registration ‘SAMWAN’ pulled up and another man and woman exited the vehicle,” police said. “The male offender assaulted the male victim, causing him to fall backwards onto the ground.”
Police said the three suspects then drove over the victim’s foot as they fled the scene in the Lexus.
“It was definitely a fight response — the adrenaline just kicked in,” Elizabeth recalled. “I don’t think they expected anyone to come out and react like that, so it was as much of a shock for them as it was for me and my father.”
She added that watching her father fall was particularly distressing. “When I saw my father hit the ground, your heart genuinely breaks,” she said. “I couldn’t clearly see what had happened to him and I had no idea what might happen next with him lying there.”
Elizabeth’s father was taken to the hospital with a serious foot injury and has since been discharged. “We’re both doing okay … Dad is recovering … we’re just still a little bit in shock after the whole incident,” she told 9News.
Police have released images of the three suspects, who are believed to be two men and one woman, all thought to be between 35 and 40 years old.
One man is described as Middle Eastern, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, wearing a black hat and hoodie, dark sunglasses and blue work pants. The second man is described as Aboriginal, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, wearing a black hat, a brown ACDC T-shirt and dark-colored pants.
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The woman is described as Aboriginal, about 5 feet tall, wearing a black beanie, a white T-shirt and a maroon hoodie. The trio were last seen driving east toward Gaffney Street, police said.
Elizabeth, who was a finalist in the 2024 Miss Universe Australia competition, said the ordeal has left her feeling uneasy in her own home. “You do feel like you need to be a bit more cautious … even just being in your home, which is supposed to be your safe place,” she told 9News Australia.
Police are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
