Young criminals cavaller attitude towards crime shocks authorities

Mark Buttler and David Hurley
Herald Sun
February 2, 2017

POLICE say the mentality of the young thugs operating in Melbourne is almost as worrying as the crime they commit.

Those who are among the several hundred offenders generating a high percentage of crime have no respect for the law, courts or consequences.

And they certainly aren’t worried by a stay in the youth justice system, sources said.

One experienced officer said many, from fractured family backgrounds, view a stay in custody with like-minded mates as no great burden.

Too often, they bypass the traditional pathways into trouble and so are not coming into contact with authorities early on for minor offences.

“The first contact we have with some of them is when they’re standing over someone’s bed in the middle of the night with a baseball bat,” one officer said. 

“They’re not starting with shoplifting. They’re going straight into the seniors.”

Others familiar with the juvenile justice system ponder with deep concern where some of the teenagers will be in five or 10 years.

The cavalier attitude extends to some of the crimes they commit.

The armed robbery gangs, sometimes under the guidance and resourcing of more seasoned criminals, are surprisingly co-ordinated and appear to be quite calm.

Numerous packages of CCTV footage have shown them casually strolling from crime scenes to getaway vehicles.

One police officer said the deportation of young people, where possible, was not an ideal solution. 

But he said the community had to face up to using every option available to combat an unprecedented crime crisis. 

Earlier this month the Herald Sun reported four older criminals associated with the notorious Apex gang had their visas cancelled. One has been deported while three will be kicked out of the country once they have served the term of their sentences. 

Victoria Police confirmed it had sent details about children linked to the gang to the Australian Border Force, which will investigate whether or not they should be deported.

“The referral of children under 18 years of age will only occur in exceptional circumstances, however Victoria Police has made some referrals in respect to that age group for consideration,” Victoria Police spokeswoman Natalie Webster said.

“As this is a confidential process, no further details will be released.”