Police operation targets youth gangs

Police have arrested about 50 people allegedly linked to youth gangs in Melbourne’s north-west.

As part of Operation Alliance, police conducted three nights of disruptive activity, from July 15-18, across Wyndham, Brimbank and Melton.

Police checked 102 people allegedly linked to youth gangs at the weekend, 31 of them under the age of 18.

Nine of these checks led to arrests, which police claim is an indication the proactive policing approach is deterring many gang members from breaching bail and further offending.

Nearly 130 bail compliance checks were performed on people allegedly linked to gang activity, police found 55 per cent complying with their conditions.

Police say there were no reported robberies in Wyndham or Brimbank over the three nights.

Police arrested 47 people for offences including possession of prohibited weapons, car theft and driving offences, conducted 129 bail compliance checks with police identifying 58 breaches of bail and engaged with over 240 persons of interest in the community during the operation.

Police also cleared 37 outstanding warrants and conducted two Firearm Prohibition Order searches.

Highway Patrol units checked over 950 cars through Automatic Numberplate Recognition Technology in an effort to detect stolen cars or number plates, leading to 101 vehicles intercepted by police, which further led to six cars being impounded and taken off the roads.