Exclusive: How teens are organising illegal hoon meets

Hoon gangs are running riot across Melbourne thanks to this devious tactic that helps them plan mega meet-ups while avoiding police detection.

Dangerous hoon gangs are surging in Melbourne, with many going to extreme lengths to avoid being caught.

The Herald Sun can reveal hundreds of rev heads – including kids aged in their early teens – belong to these groups and that they are using social media apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook to discreetly organise meet-ups minutes before mass crowds swarm.

The tactic – frequently used by illegal protesters during Melbourne’s stage 4 lockdown – is designed to keep police at bay while they tear up the streets and put lives at risk.

One of the biggest groups to dominate Melbourne’s hoon scene is the South East Skids.

Dozens of Instagram accounts proudly label themselves members of the group and post shocking footage of drag races and illegal burnouts at busy intersections, suburban streets and industrial estates across Melbourne.

Their best known hot spots include industrial estates in Dandenong South and Braeside.

Alarming footage obtained by the Herald Sun shows large crowds gathered in close proximity to out-of-control cars ripping up their tyres after dark.

Hoon meet-ups are being organised on social media. Picture: Instagram.

The meets are organised last minute to avoid detection. Picture: Instagram.

Many “skid pigs” attend to film the dangerous activity and boast about it on social media.

One rev head posted a video of a car doing a flame burnout in front of spectators with the caption: “4th gear, 5500rpm, 180 km/h wheel speed. Safe to say those rims weren’t very useful afterwards.”

Inside sources revealed impressionable teens are regular participants at hoon events, which can be hosted up to three times a week.

“It’s mostly the younger ones in their early 20s that take things too far. They’re the ones who take part in burnouts and drag racing,” the source said.

Thousands of people belong to online hoon groups operating across Melbourne.

Most are highly secretive and drop meet locations at the last minute to avoid police.

“We meet in industrial estates in Dandenong South, Braeside, near Moorabbin DFO and other random locations,” said the hoon source.

“To avoid police we are all messaged via a group message in WhatsApp or Facebook and we are told to meet at a certain location, then we are told where to drive to when we rock up.”

In one message, a hoon leader wrote: “Remember not to drive like a bunch of f***wits, we don’t want unnecessary attention. If cops come detour”.

Car enthusiasts who do not engage in hoon activity say these groups are giving them a bad name.

Hoons are meeting up at industrial estates. Picture: Instagram.

A woman who confessed to attending secret meet-ups said she was furious at the recent bad behaviour at St Kilda and Heatherton hooning events.

“It only takes one person to ruin it for the rest of us. I don’t condone risky behaviour but there is nowhere for people to go and safely race their cars, that’s why this is happening,” she said.

“I only go because I’m passionate about cars – I don’t go to rip up my tyres.”

Late last month a teenage rev head was charged after allegedly kicking a police car and taking cops on a dramatic high-speed chase across the city.

The 18-year-old Melton man was on a black and green Kawasaki motorbike with no plates when he clashed with patrol officers in Rowville.

He kicked their car and took off in the direction of an illegal hoon gathering in Dandenong South.

The teen later led police, including the Air wing, on a massive pursuit reaching 180km/h speeds which ended in Melton where he was taken down with the help of the dog squad and Critical Incident Response Team.

He is facing 26 charges including conduct endangering life, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, dangerous driving while being pursued by police, committing indictable offence while on bail, criminal damage to a police vehicle, dangerous speed/manner and other traffic offences.

POLICE TO PUT THEIR FOOT DOWN

Police are launching a statewide crackdown on hoons by using specialised intelligence to monitor hundreds of dangerous drivers.

They have put hoons on notice after a concerning rise in illegal meets in recent months.

Operation Achilles will give highway patrol officers, crime ­investigation units and divisional response units unprecedented access to intelligence to allow them to shut down hoon gatherings.

“When one area becomes ‘too hot’ they tend to move. Our intent is to make it ‘too hot’ for them everywhere,” a top cop said.

Assistant Commissioner Russell Barrett added he was “sick and tired” of dangerous drivers wreaking havoc in residential areas.

“We have no tolerance for this behaviour, when a hoon event takes place we will respond quickly and in number,” said Mr Barrett.

“We will make arrests and seize vehicles where we can on the night, but the investigation doesn’t stop on the night.

“We will use every investigative tactic and piece of intelligence available to us to prosecute those involved.”

Fourteen hoons were ­arrested and charged this week following a frightening late-night hoon meet at St Kilda on January 21 where locals said they “thought someone was going to die”.

Hundreds gathered to watch while attendees allegedly performed burnouts, sped, blocked road traffic, jumped on moving cars and threw rocks at police cars.

This week sweeping two-day raids across Melbourne targeted hoons from Springvale, Roxburgh Park, Boronia, Mernda, Hillside, Blackburn, Malvern East, Officer, Lalor, Dandenong North, Preston and Hampton Park.

Those arrested were all men aged between 18 and 45. They have been charged with a variety of offences including conduct endangering a person, possession of prohibited weapons, possessing a drug of dependence, possessing an imitation firearm, attempted criminal damage and behaving in a riotous manner.

Twelve vehicles with a combined value of more than $370,000 were seized, including a 2015 Mercedes-AMG GTS Roadster worth $119,000.

Any owners convicted will almost certainly have their cars forfeited and crushed.

Operation Achilles will ensure hoons don’t evade police by simply moving to different areas when they know they are being monitored.

“Wherever they go, they will experience the same level of investigation and response from Victoria Police,” he said.