Youth crime task force Operation Mandrake targeting more than 50 persons of interest luring children into life of crime
A specialist police team is probing more than 50 repeat youth offending ringleaders they believe are driving a surge in crime.
Police are targeting “gang” ringleaders luring vulnerable children into committing crime in exchange for cash, drugs and alcohol and fuelling a youth crime spike across Adelaide, it can be revealed.
Youth crime task force Operation Mandrake is actively investigating more than 50 recidivist offenders known to police and suspected of “luring” children into committing crime.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Graham Goodwin, who oversees Operation Mandrake, said Indigenous children being targeted by older friends and relatives was a major police concern.
“Very clearly some of the, who we would say are lead organisers, they’re the ones who entice others into joining them and into some of this criminal-type behaviour,” Mr Goodwin told The Advertiser.
“These people have a very strong influence over our younger offenders and take them along with some of their criminal behaviour and criminal activity.
“As is in every group, gang … sometimes people get drawn into that lifestyle.
All three boys were refused bail to face the Adelaide Youth Court on Thursday.
Mr Goodwin said Operation Mandrake was investigating 15 to 20 youths, five of whom were being sought in relation to Wednesday morning’s crime spree, suspected of being involved in a series of recent break-ins.
He said the impact of the offending on business owners “far exceeds what they actually lose from a physical sense”.
“You can just imagine how frustrated and how angry business owners are dealing with this, in a lot of cases, a lot of damage being caused, for a few dollars’ return but that’s the sort of brazen activity we’re dealing with,” he said.
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