Three males have been charged after a group of youths allegedly carried out a series of bag snatches and robberies in Melbourne's south-east, mostly of lone women, Victoria Police say. Two 16-year-olds and an 18-year-old man were arrested as part of an investigation that police say also covers home invasions, petrol drive-offs and other offences alleged to have been committed in the week before the report was published, and police are investigating the group over 21 incidents.
Three males charged over alleged robberies targeting mostly lone women in Melbourne
Three males have been charged after a group of youths allegedly carried out a series of bag snatches and robberies in Melbourne's south-east, mostly of lone women, Victoria Police say. Two 16-year-olds and an 18-year-old man were arrested as part of an investigation that police say also covers home invasions, petrol drive-offs and other offences alleged to have been committed in the week before the report was published, and police are investigating the group over 21 incidents.
Police say two cars were stolen from outside a Glen Waverley gym about 5pm on Monday, September 21. They say the vehicles were driven around Melbourne's bayside and south-eastern suburbs, where mostly women were targeted in a number of robberies on Thursday night.
Police say a 64-year-old woman was dragged by several offenders and had her groceries stolen while waiting at traffic lights outside Chadstone Shopping Centre around 7.45pm. A short time later, police say, another woman was punched in the face and had her designer purse stolen at the same shopping centre.
Just after 8pm, police say, a woman was shoved to the ground and had her bag stolen on the Princes Highway in Clayton, and a woman had her handbag stolen as she left a hairdresser on Bluff Road in Highett. About 8.40pm, police say offenders armed with a machete chased a male worker at a convenience store on Bluff Road in Black Rock before stealing cash.
Police are also investigating whether the same group snatched a bag from a 54-year-old woman near the intersection of Bluff and Highett roads in Highett earlier in the day and stole a 74-year-old woman's bag as she walked along Beach Road in Beaumaris a day earlier.
An 18-year-old from Springvale has been remanded in custody on a series of charges including aggravated burglary, car theft and theft. One of the 16-year-olds was released on bail after being charged with car theft and handling stolen goods, while the other remained in custody on a string of charges including aggravated burglary and committing an offence while on bail. Police say no one has been charged in some of the robberies, and the accused are to face court on several charges.
Police are appealing to anyone who witnessed the incidents or has footage to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
- The source does not state how the three accused, or their lawyers, respond to the allegations; no plea or comment from them is reported.
- The source dates the robberies only as 'last Thursday night' and the Beaumaris theft as a day earlier, without giving calendar dates for either.
- The source does not state what the three accused are charged with beyond the counts it lists as being 'included' among the charges.
- The source does not state whether the 21 incidents under investigation include the robberies for which charges have been laid.
- The source does not state whether any of the victims required medical treatment, or whether any of the stolen vehicles or other property were recovered.
- The source gives no calendar dates for the home invasions, petrol drive-offs and other offences it describes as having been committed 'last week'.
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