Spike in shootings, aggravated burglaries and armed robberies across parts of the state

The Assistant Commissioner for Crime has told Neil Mitchell that a specific task force is focusing an increasing amount of time to investigating a spike in shootings, aggravated burglaries and armed robberies across parts of Victoria.

Over the past weekend three separate shootings took place over twenty-four hours. In a separate incident, a ten year old boy was traumatised after he was terrorised by several men who broke into his family home. Early this morning police arrested alleged ringleaders of a hoon group operating in Melbourne.

Mr Fontana also told Neil that offenders will often break into homes to steal keys to luxury cars whilst the household is sleeping, and will become aggravated if confronted.

‘They try not to disturb people but if they are disturbed in the house they are becoming confrontational,’ he said. ‘Burglars will find a way to get in if they want to.’

‘It’s easy to say don’t confront them…but some of these offenders are armed.’

Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana said that the workload for the Armed Crimes Task force was becoming increasingly heavy for them and that had been a significant increase in their work over the last eight months. 

Listen in full as Assistant Commissioner for Crime Steve Fontana speaks to Neil Mitchell