By Cam Lucadou-Wells and Matthew Sims
Youths in Cranbourne, Cranbourne North and Fountain Gate have been arrested as part of a five-day police blitz targeting the “most violent” youth gang members and their weapons.
Between 17-21 April, police arrested 28 people in the South East affiliated with a youth gang or have been involved in serious, violent crime and subject to a firearm prohibition order (FPO).
They face charges including prohibited person with a firearm, possessing firearms, possessing ammunition, possessing prohibition or controlled weapons, aggravated burglary and car theft.
Eight guns and 16 edged weapons were also seized during the crack-down.
The cache included a sawn-off shotgun, a longarm rifle, a revolver with live ammunition, two machetes, a flick-knife and a home-made sword.
Other seized weapons included two imitation pistols, two batons, a sling shot and knuckle dusters.
Three youths were remanded, including a known youth gang member and a 31-year-old Pakenham man who was since jailed for three months for possessing 1,4-butanediol.
Five known youth gang offenders or associates were served with an FPO.
Among those arrested were an 18-year-old Doveton man allegedly with a machete at Fountain Gate shopping centre.
He was later bailed to appear before Kyneton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, July 10.
Police also executed simultaneous search warrants in Hoyle Court in Cranbourne and Oates Court in Cranbourne North at about 8am on Friday, April 21 following aggravated burglaries in Sandhurst and Beaumaris in the early hours of Wednesday, April 19.
An Audi was allegedly stolen from the Beaumaris property after the offenders gained entry to the premises through an unlocked door.
Police arrested and charged a 17-year-old Cranbourne North boy with aggravated burglary, attempted aggravated burglary, theft of a motor vehicle and theft.
He was also served with an FPO, while he was later remanded to appear before a children’s court at a later date.
A 16-year-old Cranbourne North boy was charged with aggravated burglary, attempted aggravated burglary, theft of a motor vehicle and failure to answer bail.
He was bailed to appear before a children’s court at a later date.
The blitz was complemented by an Omni Operation at Fountain Gate shopping centre on 20 April, in which 12 edged weapons were seized and nine people arrested.
Police checked 257 people and 73 vehicles during the Omni operation.
Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia Superintendent Jo Stafford said police would continue to “make life as difficult as possible” for those aligned to a gang committing “serious and violent crime”.
“As part of Operation Alliance, we are regularly knocking on the doors of youth gang members for bail compliance checks, saturating locations where we know they frequent and are likely to offend and gathering further intelligence on their activities and their associates.
“Our message to anyone who commits violent crime and jeopardises the safety of the broader community is clear – we are not going away and if you were fortunate enough to escape a knock on the door last week, you won’t be so lucky next time.”
Supt Stafford said police were also continuing to engage “at risk” youth with support services to stop offending in the first place.
“In addition to targeting serious and violent offenders, we will also continue to engage at risk youth with the appropriate support services in an effort to prevent offending from occurring in the first place.”
In the past 12 months, Operation Alliance has led to the arrest of 448 known youth gang members a combined 1,422 times, police say.
Since Operation Alliance commenced in September 2020, the number of known Victorian youth gang members on Victoria Police’s watchlist has decreased from 747 to 625.
