Teen boys arrested after Melbourne crime spree

FOUR teenage boys have been arrested after a series of terrifying armed robberies on strangers in several South Melbourne locations, where they used weapons including a combat-style knife.

FOUR teenage boys have been locked up after a series of terrifying armed robberies on strangers in Melbourne city.

The youth attacked one man with a box cutter and stabbed another victim in the leg with a combat-style knife as they robbed them of their belongings.

All four had no prior criminal history.

Three of the teens faced a Children’s Court on Tuesday charged with armed robbery, intentionally cause injury and unlawful assault.

Only one — a 16-year-old — pleaded with the magistrate to free him on bail.

But she refused his request saying he was too high a risk of reoffending, making him a danger to the public.

Senior Constable Paul Silvy told the court how the teen’s behaviour had escalated.

He said the boy was cautioned by police on December 14 for his involvement in stealing a spray can from a Bunnings store.

It was the first time he had come to their attention.

Then on April 3, he is allegedly part of a gang of youths who surrounded, attacked and robbed a man as he jogged in Southbank.

Two days later, police allege the same group targeted a couple as they got off the 96 tram in South Melbourne, demanding they hand over their wallets. One of the co-accused pulled out a combat-style knife and stabbed one of the victims in the leg.

It was only when the victim’s friend feigned a heart attack to scare the offenders off, the onslaught ended and they bolted.

And on April 7 at 8.20pm, police allege a couple were attacked with a box cutter, and one was used to cut one of the victim’s cheeks as they walked near South Yarra train station.

When he and the co-accused realised there was no money in the victim’s wallet they forced him to go to a nearby 7/11 and purchase them cigarettes before letting him go.

“(The victim) feared for his life,” Sen-Constable Silvy said.

Sen-Constable Silvy said police were also investigating links to another armed robbery on March 20 where a man was set upon with a metal pole and robbed as he walked home on Clarendon St in South Melbourne after finishing work at Crown Casino about 4am.

Port Phillip Crime Investigation Unit detectives arrested the four teens following raids on their properties. The arrests came after investigators identified the teens in CCTV footage.

Three of the offenders were remanded to reappear in court at later date.

The fourth co-accused will face a Children’s Court on Wednesday.