Victoria Police announce hardened operation targeting repeat youth offenders

A dedicated team of officers will target youth offenders at their homes, schools and “hangouts” in a bid to stop the alarming rate of reoffending.

Victoria Police will be tracking repeat offenders responsible for aggravated burglaries, robberies and car thefts in a new operation announced on Monday.

The state’s worst repeat youth offenders will be hounded around the clock in an ­unprecedented police operation to halt the epidemic of ­aggravated burglaries, robberies and car thefts.

Police will target violent thugs’ homes, schools, residential care facilities, “hangouts” and areas in which they have previously offended.

From Monday, a dedicated team of dozens of officers will knock on doors day and night, pouncing on weapons, stolen vehicles and offenders breaching their bail conditions.

It comes as a response to soaring rates of aggravated burglaries, car thefts, robberies and assaults by youths, and alarming rates of reoffending.

Young thugs committing aggravated burglaries, car thefts and robberies will be tracked.

Repeat youth offenders will be targeted closely.

Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson admitted police “frustration” at youths reoffending after being granted bail by the courts.

Police made “no apologies” for the crackdown focusing on Victoria’s “highest prolific ­offenders”, he said.

Officers would turn up unannounced at all hours, even at “unsociable hours”.

Repeat offenders causing the most physical and psychological harm through their crime sprees would be priorities.

Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson will announce the operation on Monday. Picture: AAP / Stefan Postles

“Influencers” of crime, or those who orchestrate and ­encourage offending, will also be targeted.

The new crime ­reduction teams have been ­established to drive down the number of repeat offenders across the state.

The aim is to prevent further crime, and trauma to victims, while educating offenders about the risks in pursuing a life of crime.

Recidivist adult offenders will also be monitored in the operation, which early next year police will expand from Melbourne and Geelong right across the state.

‘Influencers’ of crime will also be monitored. Picture: 9 News

Bail compliance and firearm prohibition orders are among the checks to be undertaken.

Mr Paterson said the alarming rate of reoffending among young criminals was a driver of the operation, as 30 per cent of offenders were responsible for 70 per cent of crimes.

On the issue of courts continually granting bail to recidivist youths, he said: “It’s fair to say that we are seeing a lot of repeat offenders and police members are frustrated with that.

“If you’re committing offences, we will catch you, there’s no doubt about that. This is ­investing in our practice around prevention, but also holding people to account.

“We are wanting to break the cycle of offending. We don’t want more victims of crime.”

The force has drawn intelligence from Britain, Denmark, Germany, Canada and the US, which have operated similar schemes and were able to cut the number of repeat offences. Officers across the state will be pulled from their division response units to work full-time for the crime reduction teams to “get ahead of the game”.

Mr Paterson stressed it would not take away from officers responding to emergency calls in any way.

“If we were fully employed (with) all positions full, we’d be in a better position, but this is a choice of using our current­ ­resources where we will get the most impact,” he said.

“There may be some people in the community that look at this and say it’s an overstep by the police, but I make no apologies for that. We’re watching, and if we see you involved or encouraging others to commit crimes then we’ll be taking ­action against you as well.”

Originally published as Victoria Police announce hardened operation targeting repeat youth offenders