SA Police’s Operation Meld investigating whether links between violent Kilburn and Eyre home invasions

A special police taskforce is investigating two violent machete-wielding home invasions that occurred in the northern suburbs.

A police taskforce is investigating two violent machete-wielding home invasions that occurred in the northern suburbs.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens confirmed that both the attacks at Kilburn and another at Eyre last week were being investigated by Operation Meld.

The taskforce was established in July 2021 to combat gang-related violence, particularly within people of African descent.

Mr Stevens said he was “confident of a successful outcome” in the current investigations.

”We’ve seen the prevalence of gang-related activity increasing over time in South Australia, which is the reason we have this dedicated operation in place,” Mr Stevens said.

”We’re looking to once again get in front of this type of offending, identifying the people committing those offences, and disrupting this gang activity.”

On Thursday, September 24, a 16-year-old was slashed across his forehead after three alleged offenders broke into his northern suburbs home, at about 2.30am.

Damaged vehicles after Machete-wielding men break into a home in Nelson St, Kilburn. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Police are investigating. Picture: Kelly Barnes

A 16-year-old boy has been slashed with a machete in a terrifying home invasion at Eyre. He was inside with his parents and seven siblings – one of whom police believe was the intended target of the attack.

The migrant family of a teenage boy who survived a home invasion machete attack said they do not feel safe while the alleged culprits continue to roam the streets.

He also suffered cuts to his hand and foot while defending himself, but on Friday he was discharged from hospital to return to the family home in Eyre.

Four days later, another teenage boy living at a Kilburn home was targeted by a gang of 10-15 machete-wielding people went on a rampage through the property.

The armed group broke into the home just after 1.30am on Sunday and threatened those inside with machetes before trashing cars in the driveway.

A 13-year-old boy believes the armed group were members of a gang called KBS, who were after his 16-year-old brother because he is friends with people from a rival gang.

He said his brother was not part of any gang but used to hang out with some members from KBS as friends.

The Advertiser does not suggest anyone at the home has engaged in any wrongdoing or is involved in any criminal or gang activities.

In January, The Advertiser revealed police were applying to have a number of KBS and 051 gang members and associates issued with firearms prohibition orders in an effort to stem the flow of illegal guns being used in the groups’ escalating feud.