Blitzkrieg In Oz

An Australian man has been arrested after taking a little joyride around the Western suburbs of Sydney. The arrest had  bit to do with the vehicle he chose for the jaunt and a bit with his choice of places to visit. Driving one's armored personnel carrier through mobile phone towers is frowned upon, even in free-wheeling Australia.

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.

Well of course he did. Have you seen the roaming charges down under? Heck, if you own your very own APC and want to play panzer, everybody gets all huffy. (Fortunately nobody was hurt in this incident so we can joke about it.)