Lara Bingle's Aston Martin stolen at Bondi

LARA Bingle's $250,000 Aston Martin has been stolen in what appears to be a targeted attack.

The dark blue James Bond-style 2008 Vantage Coupe disappeared from a secure carpark at the base of the couple's luxurious apartment block in Bondi, Sydney.

The luxury vehicle was bought for the model by her partner, cricketer Michael Clarke.

Police confirmed they are investigating the incident, which they believe happened yesterday.

Ms Bingle could not be reached for comment but she wrote on social networking site Twitter: "Aston GONE . . . KARMA."

"What a way to start a year . . . I want it back."

The 22-year-old model had been in Melbourne supporting Clarke, who was playing for Australia in the first Test against Pakistan at the MCG.

However, she is believed to have returned to Sydney alone some time yesterday and was inside their home when the sportscar was stolen from the Campbell Pde complex.

Neighbours have reported that other car spaces were also broken into as the thieves searched for the car.

A source close to Ms Bingle, who declined to be named, said she was "shocked" and "frightened" over the incident.

"She can't believe it - she's really upset," the source said. "Michael is not here and she's quite frightened."

Clarke was said to be making plans to return from Melbourne last night to be by his fiancee's side following the end of the first Test.

Spokesmen for the couple refused to comment.

Police would not reveal if they had any leads into the theft but are believed to be reviewing CCTV footage.

Ms Bingle was given the luxurious vehicle as an early Christmas present in December last year.

At the time she admitted the car was hard to handle.

"I am not the best driver," she said. "It's kind of difficult to drive. It's a heavy car."

The V8, a distinguished Eastern Suburbs feature, made Bingle an instant and easy paparazzi target.

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Michael Stevenson sacked for burnout in Mudgee carpark

NEW South Wales council has been branded un-Australian after it sacked an employee for doing a burnout in the carpark.

In what is believed to be the first case of its kind, mechanic Michael Stevenson was dismissed by the Mid-Western Regional Council council after allegedly performing the trademark revhead manouevre while leaving the Mudgee depot in his V6 Holden Commodore on December 5 last year.

Mr Stevenson rejected the accusation and said none of the key elements of a burnout - tyre smoke and big skid marks - were present, The Daily Telegraph reports.

And even though he said it was not a burnout, he condemned sacking someone for doing a burnout as un-Australian.

"It wasn't a burnout anyway. There was no tyre smoke. You couldn't do a burnout on the surface that was there - it was all loose gravel. It's unfair and I reckon I was targeted," he said.

Mr Stevenson believes his work as a union delegate rankled the council and also said that a number of his colleagues had received adverse treatment by the council after giving evidence on his behalf. In his unfair dismissal case, Mr Stevenson and his witnesses said he lost traction for only a fraction of a second while driving out of the carpark and left only a 1m skid mark.

But the council claimed he lost traction for at least three seconds and left what was described in the Industrial Relations Commission as "a distinct skid mark" about 10m long.

In a landmark decision handed down last month, the IRC had to determine the precise elements that constitute a burnout.

And Commissioner Ian Cambridge found Mr Stevenson had deliberately lost traction while leaving the carpark and upheld his dismissal.

"A careful evaluation of all of the evidence ... about the burnout has established it was a deliberate and sustained loss of traction and not an inadvertent occurrence," he found.

The council had previously warned Mr Stevenson about dangerously driving a council ute.

Spokesman Ed DeLong said council was happy with the decision

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Taxi between Rocks and a hard place

Police today issued a warning after a five kilogram metal grate was dropped from a bridge onto a taxi as it dropped off passengers in The Rocks in Sydney.

The incident, which took place on Sunday night, followed a similar incident on Saturday night.

Police, who have analysed CCTV footage of one incident, say someone could be killed in such attacks.

Both incidents took place at Hickson Road.

A 60cm by 40cm grate was thrown at a taxi from an overhead bridge as it dropped off passengers at 9.30pm (AEST) on Sunday.

The cab's bonnet was damaged, but no one was injured.

A heavy object was also dropped on a car the previous night, smashing its windscreen.

"We plan to consult members of the local community and highlight the dire consequences relating to such behaviour," Detective Inspector Murray Reynolds said in a statement today.

"In addition, they may be able to shed some light as to who was behind the incidents."

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Aussie race limit: One case of beer a day

Police in Australia have set what they describe as "very generous limits" for an upcoming auto race weekend -- no more than a case of beer a day for adults.

The Bathurst 1000 is scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 9 through Oct. 12.

"These restrictions are very generous," Chief Superintendent Steve Cullen of the New South Wales Police said in a news release. "Anyone who needs to drink more than 24 cans of beer in a day to have a good time is not welcome."

Racing fans who do not like full-strength beer have other choices. They can bring in 36 cans of beer with alcohol content of 3.5 percent or less, a case of pre-mixed cocktails or up to 4 liters (about 8 quarts) of wine.

They cannot mix and match their drinks, and no glass containers are allowed.

"This is a sporting event unlike any other with 30,000 people living in campsites around the (Mount) Panorama circuit for up to a week prior to the actual race," Cullen said.

Man's Audi allegedly used for joyrides

LONDON, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- A businessman contends his Audi was used for 27 joyrides while left at a London service station for routine maintenance.

Internet businessman Mark Reece alleges that when he returned from a recent 11-day trip, a security device on his car informed him his vehicle had been driven more than two dozen times without his permission, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.

The father-of-two maintains the high-tech system also indicated that on multiple occasions, those taking part in the joyrides drove twice the posted speed limit on school-area residential roads.

"When I got the car back and looked at the log, I couldn't believe it," Reece said. "There is no need to start a car 27 times and drive it around recklessly to do a service.

"Someone was speeding on what I know is a 30 mph residential road with a school on it. It's shocking."

An Audi UK representative told the British newspaper its initial review was inconclusive but that the alleged unauthorized use of the RS4 car while at the registered Audi garage in London was being investigated.

Speeding fine blitz at school zones

SCHOOL zones have turned into a $50 million-a-year fines nightmare for motorists, with the number of people caught breaking the 40km/h limit soaring by almost 500 per cent.

Even school zone warning lights, located wherever there are fixed speed cameras, have not stopped more motorists from being caught.

Across the state, the value of fines issued by the 161 fixed speed cameras jumped to $79.8 million in 2007-08, nearly double the $41.2 million the year before. In total 677,839 speed camera fines were issued during the year - a jump on the 406,076 issued the year before.

But it was the astonishing increase in fines issued by the growing number of fixed speed cameras in school zones which contributed to such massive growth.

Nine out of the top 10 busiest cameras in NSW are located in school zones, led by a device on the Hume Highway, Bankstown, which issued $3.2 million worth of fines.

Documents on provisional revenue and fine data obtained from the Office of State Revenue under Freedom of Information show school zone cameras issued 327,695 tickets worth $45.2 million. The year before school zone cameras issued just 81,407 fines worth $8.09 million.

With the $4.6 million worth of school zone parking fines issued by councils, motorists last year paid $49.8 million in fines for offences around schools.

There were 193,124 motorists caught breaking the 40km/h school zone limits in the 2007-08 financial year, up from 41,479 in the previous financial year.

The State Government rolled out more fixed speed cameras around schools in the past year as part of its school safety program, initiated after an accident involving primary school student Sophie Delezio, who was injured in two separate accidents at a play school and a primary school.

But the 50 cameras are also doing brisk business outside the morning and evening school zone times - 134,571 fines were issued by these cameras outside the zone periods.

Roads Minister Eric Roozendaal said he did not like speed cameras "any more than anyone else" but said they saved lives.

He said the revenue generated by the school zone cameras was going back into school safety, including $46.5 million spent on flashing lights.

"I ask motorists to slow down in school zones - they are there to keep our children safe," he said.

Bryce Rolls car 'sped away', inquest told

THE car that hit Bryce Rolls did not slow down after running over him, but sped up and accelerated away, Glebe Coroner's Court heard today.

The inquest into Bryce's death heard evidence from Samantha Symes, who saw the fatal accident at Kogarah on April 30, 2003.

Ms Symes was walking along Harrow Rd when she heard a loud bang and a scream.

She saw a car move up and over something, as if it had "gone over a speed hump". She then saw a "tiny little boy" in the road - eight-year-old Bryce.

Ms Symes said the driver just took off and "there didn't seem to be any hesitation".

"I was just looking at it in disbelief," she told the court. "I was just in shock that it was driving off."
Ms Syme said there was nothing else in the road and she had no doubt that the car had hit the boy.

She also said there were no other cars ahead or behind the one involved in the collision.

Earlier, the court heard that Peter Graham - the key person of interest at the inquest - seemed "really nervous" when speaking to police five days after the accident.

Crash investigator Sergeant Karen Hunt recalled Mr Graham saying he had been driving in the area at the time, following too close behind a car which hit something and "took off at a great rate of knots".

"I didn't see what he hit - I probably ran over what he did," Mr Graham allegedly said.

"I have kids of my own and I couldn't live with myself if I ran him over."

The inquest continues.

Court watches graphic video of Burnley tunnel crash

A dramatic video of last year's fatal smash in Melbourne's Burnley tunnel has been played in a Melbourne court room.

The Citylink video shows a truck with a flat tyre stopping in the left lane.

Truck driver Donald Micallef said he thought that was the safest place to pull over.

A couple of minutes later, Mr Micallef heard the screech of engine brakes.

A truck driven by David Kalwig side-swiped two cars, sparking a chain reaction of ten accidents.

The court was told other cars and trucks had slowed to 30 kilometres an hour but Mr Kalwig was travelling at more than twice that speed when he crashed.

Three drivers were killed in the ensuing fire.

David Kalwig is facing a committal hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on three counts of culpable driving.

His lawyer fought against the release of the video saying it does not put into context other factors Mr Kalwig had to consider.

But the Magistrate has released the vision, saying while parts are graphic, it will not prejudice potential jurors.

The footage also shows a police car passing the broken down truck shortly before the accident, but the officer in the car told the court he did not think of stopping.

The committal hearing is expected to continue for four days.

Court watches graphic video of Burnley tunnel crash

A dramatic video of last year's fatal smash in Melbourne's Burnley tunnel has been played in a Melbourne court room.

The Citylink video shows a truck with a flat tyre stopping in the left lane.

Truck driver Donald Micallef said he thought that was the safest place to pull over.

A couple of minutes later, Mr Micallef heard the screech of engine brakes.

A truck driven by David Kalwig side-swiped two cars, sparking a chain reaction of ten accidents.

The court was told other cars and trucks had slowed to 30 kilometres an hour but Mr Kalwig was travelling at more than twice that speed when he crashed.

Three drivers were killed in the ensuing fire.

David Kalwig is facing a committal hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on three counts of culpable driving.

His lawyer fought against the release of the video saying it does not put into context other factors Mr Kalwig had to consider.

But the Magistrate has released the vision, saying while parts are graphic, it will not prejudice potential jurors.

The footage also shows a police car passing the broken down truck shortly before the accident, but the officer in the car told the court he did not think of stopping.

The committal hearing is expected to continue for four days.

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