Malmsbury youth prison: Teen prisoners caught using social media to plan brawls, steal cars
Youth inmates at a trouble-plagued prison are openly using phones up to 10 times a day to brag about stealing cars and run amok when they are released. It comes after another scandal hit the facility in recent days.
South East
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Teen offenders at a troubled youth prison are using social media to plan brawls and steal cars when they are released.
The Leader has been sent several images showing Malmsbury teen prisoners openly using social media including Facebook and Instagram bragging about stealing cars.
It’s understood the youths have access to several phones and use them to post on social media up to 10 times a day.
Earlier this week, teens locked up at same facility were also caught downloading and streaming pornographic material.
In one Facebook post, a youth, who the Leader understands has been locked up for several months, says: “Only steal luxury cars mayt.”
When asked if he could “get a Lamborghini”, the teen prisoner replies: “Aha dragged it”.
On the same Facebook post, another asks if the youth was “out”, to which he replies: “Nah I’m in Malmsbury.”
The Leader has also seen a series of posts, which were posted to Snapchat, of youths posing up inside the prison.
A source told Leader the youths were planning to “run amok” and regularly created Snapchat stories boasting about “stealing luxury cars” when they’re released.
“They are posting stories to Snapchat saying they can’t wait to go back to Brighton and Malvern to steal high-end cars again,” the source said.
“They are also planning to fight with people that have ‘snitched’ on them, they are posting up to 10 times a day — it’s just so concerning they easily have access to phones while in prison.”
A Department of Justice and Community Safety spokesman said any threat of criminal activity was unacceptable.
“This matter has been reported to Victoria Police,” the spokesman said.
“Information relating to these types of matters is also provided to the Youth Parole Board.
“A range of programs and supports are provided to young people while in custody to assist with their rehabilitation.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said police had changed the way it manages high-risk youth offenders.
“Victoria Police continues to improve the way it manages high-risk youth offenders. Our detectives detectives regularly engage and follow up with high-risk youth, including when they are released on bail or from a juvenile justice centre,” the spokeswoman said.
“Police are notified before youths are released and plan accordingly so they can make relevant house visits almost immediately.”
The spokeswoman said police proactively engaged with the families and younger siblings of high-risk youths to ensure they remained at school and were getting the right support at home.
“Due to these ongoing relationships, police are confident they know the identities of the majority of young people involved in street gangs,’’ she said.
“This intelligence greatly assists police in disrupting criminal activity and holding offenders to account.
“In recent months we have made significant arrests and will continue to target networked youth offending.”
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