Alleged crimes involving kids and illegal weapons increase as police ramp up investigations

Startling statistics show more kids are getting caught up in alleged crimes involving prohibited weapons. See how the figures have changed.

There has been a spike in alleged weapon crimes among young people.

Children as young as 14 have been caught up in a spike in alleged weapon crimes, with police pledging to cut off the supply from the source.

According to the crime statistics agency, more than 600 alleged illegal weapon offences were recorded in the last 12 months for 14-17 year olds — a 24 per cent increase on last year’s number — with 85 alleged firearm related incidents also reported for this age group.

The 14-17 age bracket had the biggest spike in alleged weapon offences in comparison to other age groups in the last 12 months with an increase of 151 incidents.

Ninety two alleged incidents were also reported for 10-13 year olds, which was the most recorded for this group in the last five years.

The City of Melbourne recorded the most alleged youth weapon incidents (86) followed by Wyndham (50) and Brimbank (48).

Police have arrested 440 youth gang members in the last year.

In a major operation last month, police seized 402 illegal weapons valued at about $200,000 from businesses in Narre Warren, Boronia and Dandenong South that were allegedly selling them to youth gang members.

Pasawm Lyhym, 16, was fatally stabbed at Sunshine.

Adam Robinson was fatally stabbed in September.

Victoria police inspector Andrew McKee said police were “unrelenting” in stopping adults arming teenagers.

“Our protection of children, particularly those who are vulnerable within our community are our priority and those adults who consider preying upon those for their own greed or continue criminal activity is something we’re very interested in stopping,” he said.

“We have been seeing it for quite some time and some significant offending occurring with those types of weapons”.

It comes as police continue investigations into several unresolved youth incidents involving weapons in the last 12 months.

Among these include non-fatal shootings of a 17-year-old boy in Endeavour Hills and 18-year-old Truganina man.

Police are also still on the hunt for 21-year-old Adam Robinson’s killer, who was stabbed to death near his Wyndham Vale home.

Les Twentyman is calling for a ban on the sale of machetes in Victoria. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Leading youth advocate Les Twentyman described these incidents as “horrendous crimes” and that more needed to be done at schools.

“A lot of them are just babies and have barely started secondary school and are getting involved in this sort of stuff,” he told the Sunday Herald Sun.

“If we had that (outreach in schools) then this stuff wouldn’t be happening

“They’ve got machetes and all that sort of and they’re being desensitised because violence is being served up as entertainment.”

Alleged prohibited weapon offences of all ages increased by 11.5 per cent statewide in the last 12 months, with this year’s figures the highest since before the pandemic.

Total alleged firearm offences have also surged to a five-year high.

Wyndham recorded the most alleged firearm offences in the last year, followed by Brimbank and Hume.