Burg ring bust

By Melissa Meehan
CRIME in the city of Greater Dandenong is set to decline with the introduction of a police taskforce specifically targeting burglaries.
Detective Acting Sergeant Dean Hayes said he was heading the unit that would heavily target burglaries on both residential and industrial areas.
“An entire crew has been set aside to focus on burglaries in the area,” Det Sgt Hayes said.
He said the taskforce had already charged more than 40 people in the past fortnight.
“Since we have formed there has already been a large improvement in our clearance rate,” Det Sgt Hayes said.
“Last week we charged a group of kids aged between 14 and 16 for a number of offences, particularly burglaries in the Keysborough and Springvale areas,” he said. “We charged one of those kids, a 15-year-old from Keysborough, with 32 offences. Seventeen of those related to burglaries and the rest with other related crimes.”
Det Sgt Hayes said police believed there were two groups targeting the area.
“We have also charged another group of youths aged between 16 and 18 with similar offences,” he said. “It has come to our attention that these two groups swap and change between them and we believe those groups are related to 30 other incidents.”
Det Sgt Hayes said since the taskforce had been in operation there had been a noticeable decline in burglaries in the Springvale area.
Anyone who notices children or adults acting suspiciously is asked to contact Det Sgt Hayes on 9767 7581 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.