Police attacked, cars smashed at out-of-control party
A STOLEN credit card may have been used to book a four-star apartment trashed during a violent party that saw police cars stomped on. Police say they are closing in on the youths responsible, as photos reveal the extent of damage.
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POLICE say they are closing in on the youths who jumped on their cars and pelted police with objects when a party turned violent in North Melbourne.
Detectives have forensic evidence from the damaged cars and from inside the trashed holiday home where a group of African teens had been partying until the early hours of Sunday morning.
Senior-Sergeant Adam Tanner said police had made good headway as they worked to identify who of the 40 to 50 youths had been responsible for attacking police cars and damaging the Shands Lane home.
“There’s been no arrests to date but I’m confident,” Sen-Sgt Tanner said.
“Our avenues of enquiry are coming along well.”
Police are investigating whether a stolen credit card or false ID were used to book the holiday home where partygoers showered police cars with firewood.
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Police were breaking up a noisy gathering early Saturday when they were forced to take refuge as teens threw rubbish bins and logs, and stomped on the bonnets of police vehicles.
Up to 50 young people, described as African males and females, had been at the four-star flat, which was left with thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.
Furniture was upturned and walls smashed, and police said a microwave oven and TV set had been stolen.
Sen-Sgt Adam Tanner said the behaviour was “outrageous”.
“It’s criminal. It’s not something that we tolerate,” he said.
“To put it bluntly, it makes me angry and I think it makes a lot of people angry.”
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He said when police arrived about 2am, the youths in the home were compliant and agreed to leave.
The party dispersed, but when they returned to their cars, police found four with smashed windows, dented bonnets and broken mirrors.
The last remaining revellers jumped the back fences of homes and fled the street about 8am, neighbours said.
Parents told the Herald Sun they woke to the sounds of banging and shouting.
A father-of-two said he saw up to 20 youths running across the tops of police cars and became concerned for the safety of his family
“They were running down the street and jumping on the cars,” he said.
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Resident Meg Moorhouse said the party had quickly turned violent.
“It was aggressive,” she said. “They were drinking in the alley. They left broken bottles and were yelling.”
Police were working with the booking site yesterday to identify how the Shands Lane property was booked.
The $460 per night four-star rental is advertised as being strictly for bookings by people over 18 and the owners have banned parties at the townhouse.
But up to 50 young people were at the house about 2am, prompting noise complaints from neighbours.
Sen-Sgt Tanner said police could not identify those responsible at the time because the youths had quickly left the scene.
The youths were described as Sudanese in appearance by neighbours.
The neighbour who alerted police to the out-of-control party said he saw a few youths loitering in the alleyway.
“Then I noticed about two dozen in the house. My wife asked me to call police to make a noise complaint,” he said.
“The cops came and kicked them out. There was a lot of banging and loud music.
“I was pretty concerned to hear they had smashed up police cars.
Another neighbour who witnessed the carnage said it was “full on”.
Police speak to youths who left a North Melbourne house where an overnight party finished with four police cars being badly damaged. pic.twitter.com/B7lGVTOi19
— Paul Dowsley (@pauldowsley7) April 29, 2018
“They were kicking and jumping on the police cars. They left everyone else’s cars alone.”
Neighbours say it’s the second out-of-control party to have been hosted at the rental property over the past fortnight and they called on the owner to take responsibility.
Piles of rubbish have been left outside the rental property currently being looked at by police.
Broken glass can be seen lying on the street.
The rental property has been left trashed and furniture upturned, a cleaner told the Herald Sun.
Police are urging residents to hand in CCTV as they work to identify the culprits.
Aftermath of wild North Melbourne house party. Up to 50 youths spilt onto the street, pelting objects at police and police cars @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/iUNHvD7uKP
— Aneeka Simonis (@AneekaSimonis) April 29, 2018
Shands Lane is a narrow laneway off Canning St, comprising mainly of modern townhouses.
Short-stay house rental websites also advertise for the “premium” two-bedroom holiday apartment in the street.
“This property’s policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including pre-wedding stag/bachelor and hen/bachelorette parties,” one listing reads.
Officers returned to the street on Sunday as they continued to question teenagers involved in the altercation.
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