Scores of people – mainly youths – have been arrested by police for armed robberies, aggravated burglaries and car thefts in Melbourne’s South East and East during Christmas-New Year
Victoria Police say 41 people aged between 12-44 years old have been charged with more than 150 offences in about a week.
The arrests included a 16-year-old boy from Clyde North over a spate of alleged aggravated burglaries, and a collision in an allegedly stolen car just before 3.30am on December 29.
The vehicle struck a home and the front and rear fences, as well as a pergola and two cars.
The boy was charged with two counts of aggravated burglary, one count of attempted aggravated burglary, motor vehicle theft, and conduct endangering life.
He was remanded in police custody before being bailed to reappear in a children’s court at a later date.
Southern Metropolitan Region Acting Superintendent Andrew McKee said police “worked around the clock to keep our community safe” during Christmas-New Year.
“Such a significant number of arrests in such a short time is indicative of just how seriously we take this type of offending.
“A lot of these arrests have occurred under the cover of darkness. While you’re sleeping, police are wide-eyed with members on ground and in the sky – no hiding place is safe for offenders.
“Our message to offenders is clear: if you want to play hide and seek with us, I can guarantee you, our members will always find you.”
In other incidents, four boys aged between 13 and 17 were arrested following an alleged pursuit across the South East on New Year’s Eve.
Air Wing tracked the Audi wagon from Knoxfield to the Eastlink onramp, before it came to a halt just prior to the Cheltenham Road exit at Dandenong after the tyres had been deflated by stop sticks.
Three boys were remanded to appear in a children’s court at a later date, while the 13-year-old was bailed.
On 30 December, a 26-year-old Narre Warren man was arrested by the Greater Dandenong Crime Reduction Team over 12 outstanding warrants relating to alleged burglaries, thefts, handling stolen goods and car thefts.
He was remanded to appear in court on 14 January.
Three boys aged 13, 14 and 15 were arrested in Noble Park on 31 December over 15 alleged cigarette motivated armed robberies at service stations and milk bars across Melbourne’s east and southeast nine days earlier.
The two older boys were remanded – one of whom was hit with 19 charges.
On 2 January, a 19-year-old man was tracked by Air Wing allegedly travelling at 220km/h in an allegedly stolen Holden Commodore on the Eastlink in Dandenong about 1am.
Officers successfully used stop sticks and the man subsequently got out of the vehicle and ran into a nearby property on Elizabeth Street in Bayswater.
The teen from Bayswater was located inside and has been charged with reckless conduct endangering life and theft of motor vehicle.
He was been remanded in custody to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 3 January.
Four boys aged between 15 and 17 allegedly threatened a rideshare driver on 2 January in Cranbourne East.
The boys were arrested in the vehicle in Officer soon after.
Operation Trinity has been specifically targeting burglars and car thieves each night since March 2023.
As a result of this intense focus, police arrested 673 burglars and car thieves almost 1,550 times over the 12 months to September 2024.
A further 7,350 people have been processed for other offences detected by police working nightshift across the Trinity area of operations.
Over the past week, Southern and Eastern Regional Crime Squads, local investigators, the Crime Reduction Teams (CRTs), Operation Trinity officers and Highway Patrol, who were supported by Police Air Wing and the Dog Squad were deployed.
