The shocking surge in shopping centre violence across Victoria

A disturbing gang fight at Northland Shopping Centre was just the latest in a decade-long explosion of violent attacks at malls across Melbourne.

Shopping centre violence has been spiralling out of control for years leading up to the vicious brawl that prompted the Allan government to fast track its machete ban, alarming figures reveal.

Sunday’s gang fight at Northland Shopping centre – which resulted in Premier Jacinta Allan bringing forward a long-awaited statewide sale ban on the dangerous knives – was just the latest in an explosion of violent attacks at major shopping precincts.

Since 2014, reported assaults at those locations have more than doubled, with the latest Victorian crime data showing a 161 per cent increase over the past decade.

There was a 12 per cent increase in shopping centre assaults in the past year.

Ten years ago, there were 842 reported crimes against the person at shopping centre complexes.

Last year, there were 2,312 – a spike of more than 1,400 incidents.

Up to ten known gang members already on bail for other offences were allegedly involved in a fight at Northland shopping centre on Sunday, with confronting footage of the brawl showing at least one teen running through the centre with a machete.

The incident plunged the busy centre into lockdown as up to 40 police swarmed the precinct to hunt down the teens allegedly involved.

Two more 18-year-old and 21-year-old men were on Tuesday arrested and bailed over Sunday’s attack, which has prompted Northland to review its safety protocols.

A spokeswoman for Vicinity Centres, which owns Northland, said normal operations had resumed by Tuesday.

“While the investigation remains ongoing, our priority is the safety and wellbeing of our customers, retailers, and staff,” she said.

The brawl at Northland shopping centre was the most recent in a string of incidents. Picture: Supplied

Les Twentyman Foundation chief executive Paul Burke said shopping centres, particularly in outer suburban areas, had become popular meet-up spots for teens caught up in gangs and those looking to fight or ambush their targets.

He said this was because those areas lacked ways for them to be involved in the community such as sporting fields, youth centres or clubs.

“When you have large groups of youths coming together in one place, you are going to have problems, that along with the rise in young people arming themselves, has led to dangerous confrontations, injuries and deaths,” he said.

“It also creates a dangerous environment for our youth workers and the public who may be caught in the middle of such violence, as we saw at Northland, which is why we need action beyond a ban, such as direct intervention programs, to encourage young people to put the weapons down.”

Shopping Centre Council of Australia chief executive Angus Nardi said: “The terrifying incident at Northland is a reminder that the core problem is people, including high harm repeat offenders, that bring dangerous weapons to shopping centres with the intent to cause harm including to threaten, intimidate or assault people”.

Oscar Hamilton, 16, died after he was allegedly stabbed by another teen at Woodgrove Shopping Centre. Picture: Facebook

As a result of Sunday’s incident, Ms Allan brought forward the initial September deadline to ban the sale of machetes to Wednesday.

This means the weapons cannot be sold to anyone for any reason – even if they have a permit or exemption – until the interim ban is superseded by legislation from September 1.

A three-month amnesty will run from September 1 to November 30 for the punishment-free disposal of prohibited weapons.

It comes as shadow police minister David Southwick prepares to introduce a private members bill in the lower house calling for a total and immediate state wide ban.

Mr Southwick said the government’s refusal to introduce the ban before September “shows how out of step they are with the needs of the community”.

“The Bill introduced today will make our streets safer, it will remove these dangerous weapons off the streets and protect Victorians now – not later,” he said.

Ms Allan on Tuesday refused to comment on the fact that the alleged offenders were on bail at the time of the attack, but said: “Victorians rightly expect our courts system, all of our justice system, to keep Victorians safe.”

A group of teenage boys terrorised shoppers at Watergardens shopping centre earlier this month. Picture: 7News

Kids as young as 13 have been left fighting for life as a result of the carnage that has unfolded between rival hangs and teenagers on the hunt for revenge.

Altercations have turned deadly, with a 15-year-old boy facing murder charges over the stabbing death of 16-year-old Oscar Hamilton at Woodgrove shopping centre in September last year.

In March, 24-year-old Timothy Leek was allegedly stabbed to death at Marriott Waters Shopping Centre in Lyndhurst.

Meanwhile, Watergardens Shopping centre in Taylors Lakes has emerged as a major hotspot for bloody knife fights.

Earlier this month, a 15-year old boy was stabbed after a group of teenage boys was seen running through the centre with weapons.

In September last year, dozens of police descended on the centre after a brawl broke out between a group of teenagers with machetes.

A spokesman for the centre said it now had security patrolling the complex 24 hours a day and worked closely with local police in a bid to thwart the violent attacks.

Originally published as The shocking surge in shopping centre violence across Victoria