A message to Victoria Police’s chief from victims of the gangs crisis

Daniel Andrews was back at work this week .... and it didn’t take long before he donned a hard hat and high-vis vest. Picture: Aaron Francis

Victoria Police’s Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton returns from leave and speaks to the press in Melbourne, Wednesday:

I’ve heard people say that Victoria is not a safe place to live; that’s complete and utter garbage.

Paul from Hillside’s 59-year-old aunt was assaulted by a gang of African youths when they broke into his home. Paul spoke to The Australian this week:

I’ve got a family who doesn’t want to come home. I’ve got an aunty who breaks down at the drop of a hat.

Mother-of-three Danielle Beaton is moving to Queensland to escape crime. She spoke to The Australian last Friday:

We’re just tired ... Our car has been burgled three times this year and I can’t even turn my back on my kids while they’re playing on their bikes in the street.

Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton, who returned to work this week, met with African community leaders to discuss the gang problem. Picture: Alex Coppel

Essendon Tennis Club chairman Rhys Collins’s members were abused by gangs of young men. He spoke to The Australian last Thursday:

Our guys were down there to have a hit and mucking around on the court when a group of young men ­approached the fence and were threatening and abusive towards them ... It made the members feel unsafe so they called the police and four units turned up.

Tarniet local Linah Simukai lives near the trashed Ecoville Community Centre and Park. She spoke to The Weekend Australian, December 30 last year:

You just don’t know what to expect next because every time we hear noises, you are afraid to come outside ... We just stay indoors because we don’t know what is happening, people fighting. Mostly I see the South ­Sudanese guys — they are the ones that I see

Robbery victim Lewis Eishold tells his terrifying story to The Weekend Australian, December 30 last year:

As the three robbers were leaving, one of them turned to Mr Eishold and said something he will never forget: “If you ring the police, we’ll come back and we’ll shoot you.’’

Tony Fialides’s jewellery shop was robbed twice. He spoke to The Weekend Australian, December 30 last year:

I think everyone is getting a free ride these days but there does appear to be an over-representation in this particular group (African youths) regarding crime.

How does the head of the state’s police respond to that? Chief Commissioner Ashton in Melbourne, Wednesday:

I wouldn’t describe it as a crisis ... you’ve got a few hundred ­offenders engaging in offending in a city of 4½ million people.

Ashton’s been off for a while so you can’t blame him for missing it. The Australian, November 24 last year:

Victoria Police’s top cop Graham Ashton is taking leave for mental and physical fatigue.

He already has his eye on retirement. The Australian, June 12 last year:

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton has ­revealed he will serve only one term in the top job ... amid internal threats to have him ­removed in 2018 if Labor is forced from office.

Don’t get us started on the Premier ... Daniel Andrews responds to Peter Dutton’s comments about frightened Victorians in Murrumbeena, yesterday:

I took my family out for dinner a number of times (in the past weeks) ...