Erwin Vite: Teen thugs cause havoc at Southland, Casey Central shopping centres

A young thug who took part in brazen robberies at the Southland and Casey Central shopping centres has faced court.

Erwin Vite, 18 fronted Dandenong Magistrates Court following a series of robberies in Melbourne’s southeast. Picture: Facebook

A group of young thugs — including one aged just 13 — savagely bashed and robbed three teens at Southland Shopping Centre, a court has heard.

The innocent victims, all aged 14, were left bloodied and bruised after they were set upon by a group of thugs — including Narre Warren 18-year-old Erwin Vite — in the Cheltenham centre’s car park in July last year.

The Dandenong Magistrates’ Court heard the teens were walking to the carpark to be picked up by a parent when they noticed Vite and his friends — one 13-year-old and three 15-year-olds — eyeing them off in the food court about 6pm.

As the group followed their victims to the carpark, the teens picked up their pace in fear, before Vite’s co-accused caught up with them and unleashed the wild attack.

Vite watched on as his co-offenders kicked and punched their victims to their heads before the group demanded their wallets, mobile phones, Nike shoes and bank cards.

The victims were left with cuts and bruising to their lips, arms and knees.

Grey Nike shoes belonging to one victim were found by police at Vite’s home days after the attack, as well as clothes that matched what he was wearing on CCTV footage during the assault.

Vite was also involved in a series of thefts with friends at Casey Central Shopping Centre in the same month, where a bike and two mobiles were stolen from shoppers.

The thugs demanded their victims change their passwords before taking off on public transport and the stolen bike.

The court was told Vite also tried to snatch a mobile phone from a youth at Mulgrave after they got off the bus about 4.30pm in February this year.

After Vite tried to take the phone, a scuffle erupted, with his underage co-accused punching and kicking the victim in the face.

Vite’s lawyer Danielle Keogh said her client was emotionally immature, had difficulty with reading and writing and was subject to physical violence as a child.

She said Vite was not the principal offender and his co-accused, who were being dealt with in the Children’s Court, were responsible for all acts of violence.

“But it’s plainly predatory, group behaviour,” Magistrate Barry Schultz said.

Vite was convicted of six counts of robbery, one count of handle stolen goods and one count commit indictable offence on bail.

He was given an adjourned undertaking to be of good behaviour and will return before the court next year.