Police stepping up the fight against teen crime gangs
Dandenong and Shepparton will be among a number of areas to be targeted by police as concerns grow over the rise of troubling youth crime gangs. It comes as police warned that the stereotype that teens aren’t capable of more sophisticated crimes could be leaving Victorians vulnerable.
Police & Courts
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Youth crime gangs operating in Melbourne’s south east and in regional Victoria will be the target of intense police scrutiny over the coming weeks as COVID-19 restrictions are set to be eased.
Victoria Police’s Operation Alliance — targeting 42 youth gangs responsible for violent crimes ranging from car jackings, home invasions, assaults and armed robberies — will shift its focus to Dandenong from September 27.
Police will then clamp down on a crime spike in Shepparton in an intelligence-led campaign that will continue across the state.
Commander Michael Frewen said police were confronting street criminals who were not only violent and gang affiliated, but now tech-savvy, including the use of encrypted communications.
It wasn’t just “boots on the ground’’ gang members committing street crimes. He said it was crucial to acknowledge youth offenders were also adept at sophisticated crimes, such as identity theft and money laundering.
The youth gang space was also fluid, with shifting allegiances, he said.
Emerging criminals are made to ‘’prove their worth’’ before moving up the chain.
‘’There is no doubt that organised crime groups, whether outlaw motorcycle gangs or Middle Eastern organised crime or others, do enable these offenders from time to time,’’ he said.
Cdr Frewen added: “We have intense interest in these people. We want to keep the foot on the throat of all aspects of gang offending.’’
The police operation made inroads in disrupting gang activity in its first phase this month Officers detected 41 offences on the first night and made 17 arrests over a week.
Overall, 168 charges were laid with a significant number of offenders being on bail.
Southeastern region’s Inspector David Cox said those criminals were not bound by borders. Police have detected offenders from Melbourne travelling as far as Shepparton, while Ballarat youths have been arrested in Frankston.
But there have been positive signs since COVID-19 restrictions have been in place and police are determined to prevent a spike as people return to the streets.
‘’We don’t want those people to start again,’’ he said.
“We want to influence their behaviour. We’re in a good position to identify the (gang) influencers and not just the hangers on. The ones who were going along for the ride are now doing the right thing. We want to keep it that way.’’
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