A POLICE van was rammed by car thieves and an elderly couple left too frightened to sleep during a night of high drama in Pakenham.

Investigations are continuing this week in a bid to find the occupants of a stolen ute who escaped from police after being pulled over last Wednesday night.

The car thieves fled, sparking a major search effort through the streets of Pakenham.

The police airwing and canine squad were involved in the hunt but Pakenham Senior Sergeant Trevor Teer told the Gazette on Monday the offenders remained at large.

Kevin Lia and wife Phyllis endured an ordeal they won’t soon forget after the stolen ute was dumped in their driveway and the thieves fled through their backyard, jumping the fence with police in pursuit.

The Pakenham couple’s pet dog Kieghrey escaped during the night and was not recovered until the following day after Mr Lia and his son-in-law scoured the town unsuccessfully in the dark.

“It was a bit of a sleepless night, we were quite shaken up,” Mr Lia said.

Sen Sgt Teer said the drama began when the driver of the ute was asked by police to pull over on the Princes Highway for a routine vehicle check.

The stolen car then drove down the wrong side of the highway, turning right into McGregor Road.

Police followed the car into the Pakenham Place shopping centre carpark where the utility reversed into the front of a divisional van.

The ute took off down John Street, turning into Henry Street.

Mr and Mrs Lia were preparing to go to bed when the ute suddenly skidded to a stop in their driveway and the occupants fled.

“It was about 10.30 pm and we were just having a cup of coffee before bed,” Mr Lia said.

“Then all of a sudden there was hell of a racket outside, a helicopter overhead and police out the front with dogs and searchlights.

“The people in the ute ran through our yard and left the gate open, letting the dog out. They jumped over the back fence and shot through.”

Mr Lia said the police were marvellous and was full of praise for the manner in which they handled the situation, which was the talk of the town last week.

But he was concerned that the recent relocation of Pakenham Police from the old station in James Street to new headquarters on the Princes Highway was having an effect on the town’s centre.

“You don’t see them around as much,” he said.

Mr Lia is well known around Pakenham for collecting shopping trolleys and returning them to Safeway.

“It’s pretty quiet here as a rule but that was pretty dramatic,” he said of events last Wednesday.

Sen-Sgt Teer said police were continuing their inquiries. The ute was later revealed to have been stolen from Roweville.

Sen-Sgt Teer said the perception that police presence in Pakenham’s central business district was not what it was before the move was certainly not the case in reality.

Police presence in town was double what it was two years ago, he said.

“There are definitely more police around.

“We’ve got almost 50 police at Pakenham now and we target our patrols to where the action is, both day and night.”

Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.