By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
POLICE have arrested several young members of a so-called ‘Apex Gang’ who have broken into homes to steal car keys and vehicles in Melbourne’s south-east in recent weeks.
Detective Senior Sergeant Rodney Moroney, of Casey CIU, said locking up eight or nine “main offenders” had slowed down car thefts.
“We were getting two to three a day and it’s temporarily slowed things down.
“Now we are lucky if we get one or two a week.”
Det Sen Sgt Moroney said the crime spate extended wider than just the Apex Gang members, who were typically aged between 15-25.
“Instances have dropped off and slowed down dramatically and we will be working to keep it that way.”
Magistrate Julie O’Donnell commented on the gang during the case of an 18-year-old Dandenong man charged over the theft of three vehicles and sets of car keys from a Keysborough home while its occupants were asleep in November.
She said children as young as 13 years had recently fronted the court over a spate of similar offences.
“I’m concerned about the risk that (the accused) has in the community.
“In one of the briefs, it talks about (the accused and associates) driving in a convoy through red lights.
“I don’t have to say what the possible consequences are.”
Inspector Bruce Kitchen, regional commander of Greater Dandenong police, said there was a trend across metropolitan Melbourne of this type of crime.
Over the past month, up to 15 young people had been charged in Greater Dandenong, Casey and Frankston, he said.
“It’s a broader spectrum than just this Apex Gang. It involves a wide age group. It’s not one particular culture.”
Some of the stolen vehicles were being used to commit armed robberies, some for joy riding and also to be stripped down for parts or rebirthing.
The challenge was what to do about the young offenders’ rehabilitation. Many of them had not been in trouble with the law before, Insp Kitchen said.
“They want to get them back to school and back to work.
“If they go to other institutions, they learn other tricks of the trade and the offending isn’t reduced.”
