By Alesha Capone
Police have arrested more than 250 people as part of an operation aimed at disrupting the activities of youth street gangs, including aggravated burglaries, serious assaults and home invasions.
The arrests, which are part of Operation Alliance were announced by Victoria Police at the weekend.
As part of the operation, which has been running since September 13, police have executed 88 search warrants in suburbs including Werribee, Caroline Springs, Deer Park, North Melbourne, Cranbourne, Dandenong, Pakenham, Corio and Bell Post Hill.
Seventy people have been remanded in custody and police have laid more than 720 charges for offences including robbery, armed robbery, aggravated burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, conduct endangering life, car theft, breaching bail, and firearm and drug offences.
Police also allegedly seized illegal firearms, drugs and prohibited weapons such as knives, tomahawks, swords, tasers, knuckle dusters and machetes during the operation.
Police said the majority of offenders arrested as part of Operation Alliance were males aged in their mid-teens to mid-twenties.
Victoria Police’s Deputy Commissioner of Regional Operations, Rick Nugent, said Operation Alliance would remain focused on targeting youth offenders involved in gangs.
“We are utilising and sharing real-time intelligence to not only remain one step ahead of offenders to prevent further crimes from occurring, but to also identify and target the key influencers within these groups,” he said.
Separately to Operation Alliance, police arrested three men following an alleged armed robbery and stabbing in Werribee on Sunday.
Emergency services were called to the intersection of Heaths and Tarneit Roads around 1.20am.
The victim was reportedly approached by three males, who allegedly stole a phone and car keys.
The victim, who was allegedly stabbed a number of times, remains in hospital in a stable condition.
Wyndham Crime Investigation Unit detectives, uniform police, Dog Squad and Air Wing arrested three men after the alleged armed robbery.
A 19-year-old Deer Park man, a 25-year-old Hoppers Crossing man and a 26-year-old Point Cook man have been charged with armed robbery and intentionally causing injury.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
