The owner of the St James Hotel is relieved life can go back to normal after the Stocco fugitives were caught.
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Joanne Bate witnessed the father and son speeding away after they rammed into a police car last week – the event that brought the centre of the search to North East Victoria.
“I really thought they were going to return, I thought they’d backtrack,” she said.
“It’s just really scary.
“You’re on edge all the time when you go out to the backyard or the park.”
St James was a quiet, one-pub town that became full of police and media when the manhunt began.
The Stoccos’ movements have remained the talk of the town among residents and visitors passing through.
“We talked about it all week, not knowing where they were going to be,” Mrs Bate said.
She was sure the St James ramming had been done by the Stoccos, even before police would publicly confirmed it was the fugitives.
The publican said she did not doubt officers would catch up with the fugitives.
“I knew they’d get there eventually, it was just a matter of time,” Mrs Bate said.
