Police warn lives will be lost as violent new youth gangs run riot in Dandenong
Melbourne’s southeast is being terrorised by young gangs made up of hundreds of school-aged members. Two teens were stabbed with makeshift weapons at a fish and chip shop, triggering warnings as tensions rise.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A new generation of violent teen gangs is terrorising Melbourne’s southeast, triggering warnings that lives could be lost as tensions rise.
Two rival mobs — HP Boys and NGS — have built up hundreds of school-aged members, prompting police to increase patrols.
Two teens were stabbed with makeshift weapons when members of the two gangs faced off in a Dandenong fish and chip shop on Wednesday night.
The Herald Sun can also reveal that just hours earlier, a high school was put on red alert and told to brace for an organised mass brawl.
Terrified Dandenong traders are shutting shops early due to fears over the escalating violence.
“We’re talking about school-aged children engaging in offending that could have very serious outcomes,” said Inspector Mick Daly of Southern Metro police region.
“Innocent members of the public could get caught up in it and people can die.”
HP (Hampton Park) Boys have been expanding over the past year amassing up to 200 members, mostly Afghani and Pacific Islander youths. The rival NGS is made up of predominantly African youths.
One HP Boys member last night vowed revenge after two of them were stabbed by seven NGS thugs wielding hedge clippers, a hammer, a golf club and other weapons at the fish shop. One of the victims had his car windscreen smashed.
“All my cousins and mates will get them,” the 18-year-old said. “They are all on fire (furious).”
“It’s all about who wins the battle. NGS … they use weapons. Knives, knuckledusters, anything they can get,” the scared teen added.
The new gangs have replaced the Apex gang, which came to prominence in the same area in 2015.
Patrols in the southeast have increased in recent days at locations where sources indicated violence could flare.
“The intelligence around Wednesday’s proposed school fight was that there was a suggestion it was between two different racial groups,” Insp Daly said.
“We put them (patrols) down there and put a stop to anything happening.”
He condemned the serious offending by some young men. “These NGS and HP Boys, they call themselves that now, there’s no formal structure to them,” he said.
“They wear it like a badge of honour. They are immature in what they are doing in creating these groups, but the consequences can be serious.”
David St fish and chip shop owner Muhammad Mehdi fears for his family’s safety and says he will now close early to keep them out of harm’s way, after the Wednesday night violence inside his premises.
“It’s pretty traumatising,” he said. “I don’t care about the financial loss or whatever. My family’s lives are more important than the money.”
LAWYER X FEARED GATTO’S ‘MESSY’ INFATUATION
CRANBOURNE ACCUSED CHARGED WITH 40 OFFENCES
Opposition police spokesman David Southwick called for more to be done to stop the young offenders.
“Violent youths running riot has become a major threat to community safety,” he said.
Detectives investigating Wednesday’s clash have appealed for witnesses to come forward.
Innocent teenagers say they no longer feel safe in their own suburb. “They have gang fights every day,” one said.
Information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au