Parents warned after students at private school allegedly taunted for expensive shoes

The prestigious private college has issued a terrifying warning to parents after a number of students were allegedly assaulted and robbed just streets away from the school.

A prestigious inner-east Melbourne private school has issued a chilling warning to parents after a number of students were allegedly assaulted and robbed by youth thugs, just streets away from their school.

Families of private all-boys school Scotch College were sent a letter this week informing them about a string of incidents where students were victims.

Two of the alleged attacks are understood to have occurred over the weekend and on Monday, where students were approached and allegedly robbed while walking along Glenferrie Road.

It’s understood the letter sent to parents urged them to have a conversation with their son about personal safety while remaining alert and aware of their surroundings.

It’s not known whether the attackers are associated with the school.

Scotch College has warned parents to educate their children on safety after several students were allegedly robbed.

Meanwhile, further attacks are believed to have taken place at Chadstone shopping centre in recent weeks, where students were allegedly taunted by teenagers saying they had a knife before being robbed.

A message posted to a social media chat – which the Herald Sun has seen – detailed one of the incidents involving two 12-year-old students who were visiting the shop’s food court.

“A couple of older kids approached these two 12-year-olds surrounding them and put their arms around them pretending to know them,” the message read.

It’s understood one of the offenders then allegedly said: “‘(I’ve) got a knife, get up and walk with me’.”

“Both boys got up and were walked down the escalators to a car park. One kid managed to break free and run, and the other had his phone and Nike puffer stolen from him as well as copped a bashing,” the message concluded.

It’s understood the thugs are after Nike tech fleece track pants, Nike TN shoes and Nike Jordans, which are collectively valued hundreds of dollars.

The Herald Sun has contacted Victoria Police.

In a statement, Principal, Dr Scott Marsh, said the community was “very concerned about the two recent attacks”.

“Both times the boys were approached and subsequently robbed. We are hearing of many similar events occurring in the local and greater area. In the interests of community safety, we call on the Victorian Government to increase police presence on the streets right across Melbourne - particularly in areas frequented by young people, such as along school routes, near train stations and in popular shopping areas.

“In the meantime, the safety of our students remains our utmost priority and we continue to talk to the boys about what they can do to protect themselves.”

Parents have told the Herald Sun some students have been allegedly attacked at Chadstone shopping centre. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

It comes as a growing number of private school students are being targeted in popular shopping areas by thieves keen to steal their designer clothing, expensive sneakers and late-model mobile phones.

Glenferrie Rd in Hawthorn is a regular congregation point for students from a number of schools including Carey Grammar, Trinity Grammar, Strathcona, MLC, Ruyton and Xavier. Those coming from further afield include students from Scotch, Sacre Coeur and De La Salle. State school students also come from Auburn High, Canterbury Girls’ and Camberwell High.

The area around Hawthorn Coles, Glenferrie Oval, Glenferrie station and Central Gardens has been a hotspot for trouble for decades, with many offenders coming from outside the area, which is easily accessible by train.

In 2020 a gang of up to 15 offenders attacked schoolchildren, stripping them of their clothes, phones and wallets, targeting those on Glenferrie Rd as well as nearby Rathmines Reserve in Hawthorn East.

Schools regularly warn their students about the dangers of the busy precinct, with a year 10 Strathcona student attacked in 2021.

Several Glenferrie Rd traders have previously told the Herald Sun they believed the schools were putting their reputations ahead of that of the popular strip.

In another recent attack in May, three 13-year old Canterbury High kids in year 8 were robbed by five members of a gang – 20-year-olds believed to be carrying working tasers.

The kids were walking through Deakin University in Burwood to get to a party and two had their shoes stolen and one had his pants taken. The matter was reported to police.