Three teens on bail charged over alleged robbery at Endeavour Hills Shopping Centre

Three teenage girls on bail have been charged after they allegedly robbed five stores before smashing a bottle over the head of an innocent shopper in Melbourne’s southeast.

A teenager is arrested after an alleged robbery at Endeavour Hills Shopping Centre. Picture: Supplied

Three teenage girls on bail have been charged after they allegedly robbed five stores before smashing a bottle over the head of an innocent shopper.

Five teenagers, one as young as 13, are accused of robbing five stores, including the TSG tobacconist at the Endeavour Hills Shopping Centre on Wednesday afternoon.

Witnesses described seeing the group running riot through the centre, with at least one allegedly wielding a machete.

One witness said fellow shoppers were screaming “knife, knife” while there was “blood everywhere” about 3.45pm.

An innocent shopper tried to stop the five teenage girls as they allegedly robbed the tobacconist before he was smashed over the head with a glass bottle.

The victim, a 55-year-old Drouin man, was pictured recovering on a chair with bystanders applying paper towel to his head.

Blood could be seen spattered across the shopping centre floor as it was cordoned off by staff.

A man is injured in the alleged robbery. Picture: Supplied

The man was allegedly hit on the head with a bottle. Picture: Supplied

A hooded young person was also pictured sitting on the ground in handcuffs.

Police this week charged four teenagers, who were all arrested outside the Coles supermarket on Wednesday.

A 16-year-old girl from the Yarra Ranges area was charged with attempted robbery, affray, possessing a controlled weapon, assault in company and five counts of theft.

She was already on bail at the time.

A 15-year-old girl from the same area was hit with similar offences, including five counts of theft and possessing a controlled weapon.

She too was already out on bail.

The pair were remanded in custody before they were bailed on Thursday to appear at a children’s court.

A 16-year-old girl from the Greater Dandenong area was also charged with five counts of theft.

She was also already on bail at the time.

A 13-year-old girl from the same area was charged with five counts of theft and one count of affray.

They were both bailed to appear at a children’s court.

Police at the scene. Picture: Supplied

Police are working to locate the fifth alleged offender.

The series of alleged robberies left shoppers stunned on Wednesday.

“I was coming down the escalators and everyone was screaming ‘knife, knife’,” one witness told the Herald Sun.

“One (of the teens) had a machete. There was blood everywhere.”

She said members of the public were forced to perform citizen’s arrests after she claimed the centre’s security guards had told shoppers they did not have the power to detain them.

“The customers were trying to grab them,” the witness added.

The shopping centre, who have since increased security, said: “Our thoughts are with those impacted, and we extend our sincere wishes for a full and timely recovery”.