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Victoria youth detention centre riots, inmates on the run

UPDATE: Youth detention centre escapees who hijacked three cars before driving on the wrong side of a road remain on the run.

Megan PalinMegan Palin
2 min read
January 25, 2017 - 9:37PM
A riot has broken out at the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre. Some of the inmates have escaped.
A riot has broken out at the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre. Some of the inmates have escaped.

SEVEN inmates are still on the run after they escaped from a detention centre and hijacked cars in Central Victoria.

Police were called to a riot “involving around 30” detainees at Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre around 2.50pm today.

A group of 15 inmates initially escaped the facility but eight have since been arrested.

The remaining escapees hijacked three cars and remain on the run.

Police lost track of the cars around 4pm, with airwing trying to locate them again.

Victoria Police said the inmates were travelling in three separate vehicles including a red hatch (registration 1HZ5UN), white Suzuki SUV (personalised registration WILMAK) and a blue falcon sedan (ZVK598).

“The direction of travel of both vehicles is unknown at this stage,” a police statement read.

A police car was reportedly rammed during the escape. Seven News has reported the escapees were earlier driving “out of control” at high speed and had smashed into civilian cars on the Calder Freeway. One of the pursuits had to be abandoned by police after an escapee started driving in the wrong direction on the freeway. A Chewton petrol station staffer reported a “petrol drive off” just before 4pm.

Five inmates who climbed on the centre’s roof have came down around 4pm and are now in police custody.

Emergency services, including police and firefighters, are currently at the correctional facility.

Authorities have advised the public to steer clear of the escapees and to call Triple 0 if they see either of the vehicles.

Specialist resources including the Operations Response Unit, Dog Squad, Fugitive Taskforce and CIRT are en route and local police are at the location, police said.

There are reports that a Justice Centre guard was assaulted in the breakout but is not seriously injured. The escapees reportedly stole an access card from the guard before they fled from the centre and hijacked several cars.

A Google Maps image of the Malmsbury Youth Justice centre
A Google Maps image of the Malmsbury Youth Justice centre

The CFA said it was helping police with a job at the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre on Wednesday afternoon.

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Human services said police were handling the Malmsbury incident.

“Our priority is to resolve this incident as soon as possible,” the spokesman told AAP.

The youth jail has been damaged in previous riots, which have also affected the Parkville youth detention centre.

Another riot has broken out at Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre in Victoria.
Another riot has broken out at Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre in Victoria.

Victoria will recruit 41 new youth justice workers after a leaked report found endemic staff shortages led to riots at the centres.

The report was ordered after riots at Parkville in March 2016, and Fairfax Media reports the government expected more riots due to low staff numbers and frequent “lockdowns” that incite unrest.

“We have boosted staff numbers and we’re introducing new laws that will see tougher sentences for offenders who assault our dedicated staff,” a government spokesman told AAP on Wednesday.

— With AAP

More to come

Do you know more? Email: megan.palin@news.com.au

Originally published as Victoria youth detention centre riots, inmates on the run

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/victoria-youth-detention-centre-riots-inmates-on-the-run/news-story/454f3a8ea0c766c7f001fe7cac0eadd9