JB Hi-Fi stores told to brace for more gang thefts following Nunawading daylight attack

Teenagers as young as 14 are taking part in the “swarming” crime wave sweeping Melbourne, with police saying the youths are stealing to order in the rip and run attacks on JB Hi-Fi.

Gangs of youths are targeting JB Hi-Fi stores across Melbourne. Photo: AAP Image/Darren England.

Teens as young as 14 have been caught up in the retail crime wave sweeping Melbourne over the past few months.

Police have vowed not to stop until all young offenders taking part in rip and run swarming thefts from electronics stores have been caught.

Detectives believe some kids grabbing the expensive electronics from JB Hi-Fi stores in group attacks may be stealing to order.

“We’re seeing kids entering as a first-time offence into this type of use of violence and use of force,” North West Metro Commander Tim Hansen said.

“There is a significant presence of both peer to peer pressure and also a level of organisation.

“We have the intelligence to suggest these kids are going out to steal on order.

Gangs are stealing Apple products from JB Hi-Fi stores. Photo: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez.

“That has certainly been a focus of our investigation.”

After the Sunday Herald Sun revealed the extent of the problem across much of Melbourne in July, Taskforce Liege was established to work on sharing intelligence about the offending across policing borders in a bid to crackdown on the serious crimes.

Commander Hansen said the operation was committed to dismantling and disrupting the young criminals.

Officers have arrested 36 people, including 11 on Sunday, over retail crime swarming offences.

They believe they have arrested people in relation to about 60 offences and have solved around half of all the swarming crimes so far.

“What has grabbed out attention, and it has grabbed our attention, is the increased use of violence, the use of numbers to intimidate what is predominantly junior retail staff who are vulnerable and who aren’t well-positioned to resist or stop this sort of offending, and nor would we expect them to,” Commander Hansen said.

“There is a need for us to address this emerging crime.

“We will not rest until we see a cessation of this kind of offending.”

Police are continuing their work with members of the retail sector to curb the offending.

RETAILERS WARNED ON ‘SWARMING’ THREAT

Electronics retailers have been warned their shops may be hit by “swarming” thieves after yet another store was targeted by a gang of youths at the weekend.

A gang of hooded teen thieves struck at the Nunawading JB Hi-Fi about 2.50pm Sunday.

The Herald Sun understands youths targeted the Apple display products during the daylight attack.

They ripped them from their cords and ran before officers could nab them.

“Police attended and patrolled the area but were unable to locate the offenders,” a Victoria Police spokesman said.

Stores from the outer west to Brunswick and Prahran have been targeted. Picture Bill Hearne

“A number of youths have since been arrested and interviewed by police.”

A source told the Herald Sun a memo had gone out to the managers of other stores telling them to prepare because they would probably be hit in coming weeks.

Extra security has allegedly also been hired for the shops to make people feel safer.

But as first revealed by the Sunday Herald Sun in July, retail workers and security guards are advised to step aside and let the offenders rip the products off their cords and walk out with the expensive goods.

“JB Hi-Fi takes very seriously the recent thefts in a number of its Victoria stores,” a spokesman from the company said.

“The safety and welfare of our team and customers is our number one priority and concern. “We are continuing to work very closely with Victoria Police in regard to these incidents.”

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Victoria Police’s business advice includes instructions for staff to make no attempt to apprehend the criminals and instead call triple-0.

Outlets in Thomastown, Sunshine, Airport West, Prahran, Brunswick, Altona North. Geelong, Werribee, Altona, Hoppers Crossing and Sunshine have all been targeted in similar attacks over the past year.

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