Thugs trash Tarneit’s Ecoville Community Park
A COMMUNITY centre in Melbourne’s west has become a “no-go zone” as young thugs trash the site, leaving families in fear.
VIC News
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YOUNG thugs have hijacked a new estate’s community centre and park, going on nightly vandalism sprees, trashing homes, and terrorising families.
The youths, mostly of African appearance, have turned the Ecoville Community Park in Tarneit, in Melbourne’s west, into a no-go zone.
Hooligans repeatedly “smash and destroy” what was once a family-friendly meeting spot. MTS — the tag for emerging crime gang Menace To Society — is daubed on walls.
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MTS, linked to the Apex gang, was also behind a violent rampage at a Werribee Airbnb property last week, estimated to have caused tens thousands of dollars worth of damage.
And they have been linked to destruction at rental homes in Altona and Williams Landing which caused $150,000 of damage.
Earlier this year, Victoria Police said they were optimistic they were getting on top of the youth gang problem. But yesterday they “acknowledged” serious problems with “African youths”, and Police Minister Lisa Neville said there was a “significant concern”.
Petrified Tarneit residents say teens smash walls, daub public property with graffiti, and deal and use drugs.
Father-of-two Manish Kinger, who moved in three weeks ago, said: “We don’t feel safe at all. I want to take my children to the park but it’s too dangerous. Gangs show up here all hours of the day and night.”
Mr Kinger said: “The area is meant for everyone, but they take it over. I have even seen a drug deal once or twice.’’
Another resident who asked not to be named, told the Herald Sun that her sister had had to phone police “several” times.
“They yell, bang and destroy property,” she said. “You don’t know what they’re capable of doing and that’s the scariest part about it.”
Last week, the Herald Sun revealed a memo circulated to all Victoria Police members had expressed concerns about a “deliberate ploy” by violent teenagers to “lure” officers into backstreets to attack them.
Earlier this month, partying teens linked to the MTS gang went on a rampage at a million-dollar beachfront home in Altona, trashing rooms and scrawling MTS and Apex tags on walls and furniture.
Youths of African appearance were also involved in the brutal Boxing Day assault of a police officer kicked in the face during a chaotic arrest at Highpoint Shopping Centre.
Acting Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said yesterday: “The leaders in the African community readily and openly say they do have issues with a small cohort of African youths who are committing high-end crimes. We acknowledge that.
“We don’t shy away from that at all. We will pursue anyone involved in any criminal activity and if that is African youths then so be it.
“We continue to work with the African community to try and address the root causes, which isn’t just a policing issue.
“It’s about disengagement, it’s about employment, it’s about a whole range of things.”
Ms Neville said the over-representation of African youths in crime figures had been of “significant concern to us and to Victoria Police”.
“We’ve had additional investment in the gang squad and in intelligence measures in order to try and disrupt their behaviour,” she said.
“We’ve got to stop the sort of offending we’re seeing.
“Police have made inroads into that and we’ve got to make sure people are held accountable for wanting to use our police officers as punching bags.”
Victoria Police said it had increased its presence around Ecoville Community Park and was working with the council and residents to tackle problems.
Wyndham Local Area Commander Inspector Mary Allison said police had made several arrests at the park and had issued numerous penalty notices in recent months.
“Property damage, drug activity and anti-social behaviour at the park have been our main concern,” she said.
“The community deserves to feel safe in their local park.
“Members will continue to patrol the area and anyone found conducting criminal activity will be held to account for their actions.”
The park is private property. Strata Data, which manages the owners’ corporation, was contacted for comment.
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