By ANEEKA SIMONIS
A PAKENHAM youth has been charged with the kidnapping and false imprisonment of a man allegedly taken from his home and forced to withdraw sums of money pocketed by the youth and up to four accomplices.
The 18-year-old Pakenham man, in addition to 18-year-old men from Dandenong North and Frankston, were remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday 5 August charged with kidnapping, aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, robbery and other offences.
A 16-year old Springvale South boy has been remanded to appear at a Children’s Court at a later date also charged with kidnapping, aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, robbery and other offences.
The police helicopters, the dog squad, police investigators and uniformed officers were called in to hunt down the youths accused of burgling three homes in Mitcham, Blackburn and Park Orchards between 7.55am and 9.50am on Thursday 4 August.
Police later alleged three victims were robbed in Clayton by five offenders about 12.20am.
Investigators have charged the youths with the Clayton offence.
On Thursday, police alleged a fifth youth was sighted in a stolen red Ford sedan with the other charged youths near the Burwood Highway following the burglaries.
Police alleged the car was stolen from an address in Fairwood Rise, Officer during an alleged attempted aggravated burglary about 6.30am.
Police earlier alleged a victim in one of the burglaries was made to get into the youths’ car and driven to an ATM where he was forced to withdraw and hand over sums of cash.
Police have formed specialised taskforces in response to the jump in aggravated burglaries and carjackings occurring across the state.
Operation Cosmas targets high-risk locations day and night and have so far made more than 120 arrests since forming in May.
Eastern Region Crime Squad Detective Senior Sergeant Sean Audley said: “We have plans and resources in place to quickly respond to this type of offending,” he said.
“These arrests are the result of a number of specialised units and uniform police working together to reduce the number of aggravated burglaries being committed in the eastern suburbs.”
The burglaries occurred at homes in Alva Grove, Park Orchards, Almondsbury Court, Blackburn, Creek Road, Mitcham and at a location in Arnott Street, Clayton.
