Doncaster East mum and daughter living in fear after alleged horror home invasion

A Doncaster mother and daughter “live in fear” after masked men with metal bars allegedly broke into their home when the teen was alone. The family claim they were targeted again just weeks later.

The alleged victims of a fly in, fly out crime syndicate accused of orchestrating more than 60 home invasions say they still “live in fear” more than two months after their horrifying ordeal.

Terrified mother Alice said her 14-year-old daughter has been left traumatised after three masked men, armed with metal bars, allegedly broke into their Doncaster East home while she was home alone in April.

Just four weeks later, CCTV captured another masked man trying to break into the home as the family slept, prompting the fearful mother to demand the state government act on the state’s crime crisis.

Manningham has experienced a worrying rise in aggravated burglaries in recent years, leaving an increasing amount of residents on edge.

Alice’s elderly father, who also lives at the eastern suburbs home, had just left when a black Subaru pulled up in the driveway and dropped off three masked men just before 1pm on April 18.

Alice and her daughter have been left traumatised after the teen had to lock herself in her room as three masked men broke into their home when she was alone. Picture: Mark Stewart

“They were trying to get in through the front door,” she said.

“My daughter heard banging noises so she came out of the bedroom and peered down the staircase, and by this stage, three masked men had entered the home.”

The teenager locked herself in one of the bedrooms upstairs before calling her dad.

“He kept her on the phone, and she could hear them coming up the stairs,” she added.

“They were trying to push the bedroom door open, so she was obviously in hysterics.”

But as the girl’s dad rushed to the home to rescue his daughter, the men were caught on CCTV walking out before driving off.

The men were later arrested and identified as members of an Irish crime syndicate allegedly responsible for stealing more than $1m worth of goods from homes across town.

The trio is allegedly responsible for more than 60 burglaries at homes in Blackburn, Doncaster, Narre Warren, Hampton Park and Templestowe.

Police allege the crew targeted wealthy and affluent homes while residents were away — largely as a money making venture.

“They see this as work and a way of earning a living,” Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Brendon Pollock said in April.

“So it’s rich pickings, so to speak, for these kinds of criminals to be able to ship the items back home.

“They are very sophisticated, very networked, it’s a worldwide style of offending.”

CCTV of a masked man trying to break into a Doncaster home in the middle of the night. Supplied

Picture: Supplied

Picture: Supplied

A second incident, where an offender was caught trying to break in through the front door, prompted Alice to speak out on the issue and urged the government to “take crime seriously”.

“Two home invasions within four weeks is not normal,” she added.

“I shouldn’t have to install thousands of dollars worth of security to feel safe in suburban Melbourne.”

There were 25,915 residential burglaries across the state in the past 12 months, an increase of 2,653 — or 14 per cent.

The number of aggravated residential burglaries - where the offenders are armed with weapons - also soared more than 18 per cent in the year ending March 2024.

The latest crime statistics show residential aggravated burglaries have soared to an almost 15 year high in Manningham.

CCTV footage of a car outside the home. Picture: Supplied

Doncaster was rocked by the alleged murder of Dr Ash Gordon after a home invasion turned deadly in January.

The accused offenders allegedly stabbed him to death as Dr Gordon attempted to chase them from his home, found dead in the early hours of the morning.

Three people were also charged after a separate home invasion in Doncaster East in April, where men pretending to be police stormed an apartment on Red Hill Terrace on April 10.

Warrandyte MP Nicole Werner said there had been a 48 per cent increase in burglaries in her electorate and a 73 per cent spike in Doncaster East alone.

“This is a heartbreaking story, and unfortunately I hear of stories like this far too often in my community,” she said.

“I have had countless individuals in my community contact me with appalling stories of violent crime, that they have never experienced before in their neighbourhood until recently.

“Our community is feeling vulnerable and unsafe.”

Seven alleged members of the Irish crime syndicate have been charged and are currently before the courts.

A state government spokesperson pointed to a recent Government Services report which shows Victoria has more police on the beat than any other state or territory.

“We know that when these sorts of crimes happen, their impact on victims can be devastating -- everyone should feel safe in their own home,” she said.

“Victoria Police have strong powers to target brazen criminal activity, with new carjacking and home invasion offences, including statutory minimum sentences for aggravated offences.”

Three of those men are due to front Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.