Violent attacks in Melbourne suburbs linked to young thugs known as ‘Brother Hood’
A MENACING group of young thugs linked to a spate of violent attacks in Melbourne’s northeast has been revealed as an outfit called “Brother Hood” and are allegedly behind a month-long spree of terrifying robberies and bashings in the suburbs.
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EXCLUSIVE: A menacing group of young thugs linked to a spate of violent attacks in Melbourne’s northeast has been revealed as an outfit called “Brother Hood”.
The group — also known as BH — is comprised of Burmese youths who live in the area.
They are allegedly behind a month-long spree of terrifying robberies and bashings in Lilydale and Ringwood.
One Brother Hood member told police how they roamed the streets to “find people to roll”.
The brutes armed themselves with PVC piping, bottles and even an extendible baton.
Victims — confronted by as many as 10 thugs — have suffered injuries so severe they required hospital treatment.
Some are too scared to be identified for fear of reprisal.
Court documents obtained by the Sunday Herald Sun detail how 20-year-old Ringwood man Genszo Nang drove the group around the suburbs to scope out victims before attempting to rob them.
The brutal attacks began on February 21 when four males confronted a group of friends at Lilydale, telling them: “We are BH, hand over your money and smokes”.
Three of the thugs waved beer bottles at the terrified victims who handed over their belongings and were told “don’t f*** with BH”.
The offenders fled.
In a separate incident on March 5 two friends were surrounded by about six males, one holding a PVC pipe, as they walked to a McDonald’s outlet metres from where the first robbery occurred.
One of the victims, 17-year-old Jordyn, was punched up to 20 times and hit over the head with a bottle.
“They gave us to the count of three to hand over our backpack and watches or else,” Jordyn said.
“I just knew I had to stay on my feet and stay conscious…I was blacking out and just broke down and cried when they finally left me.”
The teen was left bloodied and semiconscious on the road before being taken to Maroondah Hospital.
The Sunday Herald Sun understands police are not treating incidents involving Brother Hood as gang-related.
They have instead attributed the crimes to a group of “disengaged kids” drinking and becoming violent.
Victoria Police advised it couldn’t provide detailed information about the group because several accused offenders were before the courts.
Court documents show other attacks linked to BH have included an assault and robbery in Lilydale on February 26 where a man was hit with a bottle in the back of the head and then kicked in face after leaving a local BWS store.
While one thug continued to bash the victim on the ground, the other stole the injured man’s phone and $800 cash.
He suffered multiple injuries to his head and body and was found by a passer-by slumped on the ground.
In another serious assault on March 17 a 19-year-old was beaten unconscious by up to 10 males at the rear of the Orange Whip Nightclub in Ringwood.
One of the offenders was seen carrying an extendible baton before the attack.
The victim was taken to Maroondah Hospital with facial injuries.
Victoria Police spokeswoman Leonie Johnson confirmed a 20-year-old Ringwood man was facing 23 charges including armed robbery, robbery, theft and assault with a weapon over three incidents in Lilydale and one incident in Ringwood.
A 16-year-old boy was facing 24 charges including armed robbery, theft and assault with a weapon for the three Lilydale incidents and another in Mooroolbark.
Mr Nang was arrested at his home on March 23 and was supported in court by his family and girlfriend.
He was bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on June 19.