A Middle Eastern crime gang has robbed eight gaming venues in three months, stealing more than $100,000 and terrifying staff.
The gang, which may include robbers as young as 16, storms into venues armed with guns and knives. Footage of one of the robberies shows the men wielding a shotgun and possibly a machete. A patron was assaulted during one of the robberies, and staff have been threatened.
Armed Crime Squad Detective Inspector Stephen Clark said the robberies, committed between June 2 and August 11 in Melbourne’s north and west, are believed to be linked.
“On each occasion the offenders, who we believe are aged between 16 and 25 years, were armed with a firearm and an edged weapon and threatened staff,” he said.
“We have seen that the number of men involved in each incident has varied from two to four and they seem to enter the venue with no regard to who or how many people may be there.”
The robbers wore masks or covered their faces during the robberies, but police released CCTV footage showing the face of a hooded man believed to be involved in the robberies, and a face fit image of another man.
All but two of the robberies were committed between midnight and 5.30am.
Venues were robbed in:
• O’Herns Road, Epping on June 2
• Aviation Rd, Laverton on June 8
• Mahoneys Rd, Thomastown on June 17
• Sunshine Ave, Kealba on July 14
• Sunshine Ave, Kealba on July 22
• Sydney Rd, Fawkner on July 26 and August 1
• Maribyrnong Rd, Moonee Ponds on August 11
Detective Inspector Clark said that while armed robberies were generally violent, the behaviour of this gang was particularly concerning. While staff and patrons had escaped serious injury, a window was smashed with the barrel of a gun during one of the robberies as the offenders frantically searched for money.
“You can see from the footage how frightening it’s been for them,” Detective Inspector Clark said.
Two men were charged on August 1 over their involvement with the robberies.
A stolen Audi was used during one of the offences, and a white Holden Commodore, which may also be stolen, is believed to have been used by the bandits in another job.
– With Goya Dmytryshchak
