Swift responding police arrested seven teenagers after several department store thefts in Melbourne’s CBD yesterday afternoon.
Police were called after seven teens entered a department store on Bourke Street and ransacked displays about 4pm, before fleeing on foot.
Detectives and uniform members wasted no time in pouncing on the group with all seven boys arrested immediately afterwards at another Bourke Street store.
A significant amount of property, allegedly stolen from at least two different stores, was seized as the group was taken into custody without incident.
There were no injuries in any of the alleged offending.
An 18-year-old Werribee man has been charged with two counts of theft.
He has been bailed and will appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 1 December.
A 15-year-old Hoppers Crossing boy received an official caution while five other teenagers aged between 15 and 17 are expected to be charged on summons with theft.
This prompt response comes as the public will continue to see a strong police presence across the CBD with multiple planned operations in coming weeks around key locations and major events.
Victoria Police resourcing is traditionally bolstered throughout the CBD during September, given the increased patronage and raft of major events.
This will see police heavily represented across the city grid, as well as the Southbank promenade and the MCG.
Over coming weeks, visitors to the city can expect to see general duties officers, as well as specialist police including the Mounted Branch, Water Police, Air Wing and Public Order Response Team out in force.
Commuters can also expect to see transit police conducting a number of Omni operations at major CBD train stations and community hubs to detect weapons offences.
Victoria Police also has a specific operation named Cubed in place targeting shop steal offences involving large groups.
Operation Cubed sees local police and detectives from Southern Metro, North-West Metro, Eastern Region and specialist units including PORT, Air Wing and the Dog Squad targeting known offending hotspots and using all available intelligence to detect and deter offending.
Police intelligence indicates that a small cohort of youth offenders are involved in recent robberies, armed robberies and this style of department store theft.
Arrests such as these go a long way to disrupt this form of offending.
