EIGHT teenagers have been arrested in relation to a spate of violent armed robberies carried out against taxi drivers after a series of police raids in Melbourne’s western suburbs this morning.
The youths, aged between 14 and 18 including one female, are expected to be charged with offences including armed robbery, attempted armed robbery, assault and property damage later today.
Superintendent Rick Nugent said the alleged offenders’ ages were shocking as was the violence of their alleged crimes.
“It’s extremely concerning,” he said.
“We saw from the vision of the taxis that it’s a very violent crime that’s been committed on these taxi drivers and it’s very concerning that people of this age are involved in this kind of activity.”
Superintendent Nugent said a taskforce set up yesterday to investigate the series of robberies had acted swiftly and thanked the community and taxi industry for helping police.
Most of the offenders are expected to face a children’s court once charged. Investigators from the taskforce raided four properties in the western suburbs after a briefing at Sunshine police station about 6.30am.
Superintendent Nugent said police did not expect to make any further arrests in relation to the robberies.
Five cabs were targeted in 90 minutes starting at midnight on Sunday, police said yesterday.
A group of seven males using stolen cars and wielding baseball bats were responsible for the spate of robberies, police alleged.
Sunny Singh said one of his drivers suffered a deep gash to his head and another was badly shaken when he had cash and his phone stolen. Both assaults happened in Sunshine. “We have to put a stop to this, nobody wants to work the night shift any more, they are just too scared to drive,” Mr Singh told The Age yesterday.
