18-year-old charged over multiple home invasions across Bendigo allegedly ‘teaching’ young criminals

A teen charged with breaking into multiple Bendigo houses while he was “teaching” youth crims the art of aggravated burglary, police say, asked for bail to avoid “criminal influences” in prison.

An 18-year-old, 15-year-old and 14-year-old have been charged over an alleged home invasion in Bendigo where one was allegedly armed with a knife. Picture: iStock

A teenager who allegedly broke into several Bendigo homes to steal cars and cash while families slept inside was “teaching” younger accused criminals the art of aggravated burglary, a court has been told.

An 18-year-old man faced Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday accused of committing a string of home invasions in Bendigo in November.

The accused cannot be named as he was 17 at the time of the alleged offending.

Alongside several teenagers, one as young as 14-years-old, the man allegedly broke into six homes in Bendigo and Castlemaine on October 24, with police alleging the group stole wallets and cars.

Police charged the 18-year-old over several alleged home invasions and burglaries in the Bendigo area. Picture: iStock

The court heard the 18-year-old had been involved in other alleged home invasions and burglaries in Bendigo dating back to July last year alongside a number of teenagers whom police allege he had been “teaching”.

He has also been charged over another alleged aggravated burglary in November, which he was refused bail for.

The court heard the man and two teenage associates allegedly committed an armed aggravated home invasion in Princes Hill on November 8.

The group allegedly entered the home — with one wielding a serrated knife — and stole wallets and a Mercedes which police allegedly found burned out in the Bendigo area a few days later.

Police allege the 18-year-old broke into multiple Bendigo homes alongside other teens. Picture: Nicholas Falconer.

Police raided the three teens’ houses on November 19, seizing distinctive clothes the accused were allegedly caught on CCTV wearing at the time.

The court heard the two teenage co-accused who he allegedly mentored in criminality had “continued to reoffend” while the 18-year-old was in custody.

The 18-year-old applied for bail for a second time after he was initially refused in November last year.

The defence argued the 18-year-old was “vulnerable in custody” where he would be “exposed to criminal offences” at Fulham Correctional Centre and he should instead be released to live at his grandmother’s house away from bad influences.

But police opposed bail, alleging he would commit further offences and was a risk to the community.

The magistrate found the 18-year-old was too high a risk of reoffending, and refused the bail application.