Nine youths are facing 63 charges after police swooped on the group following a series of car thefts and property crime across Melbourne's south-east and eastern suburbs.
At approximately 1.15am on 23 February, Operation Bird units observed an allegedly stolen vehicle at the intersection of Kidds Road and Power Road in Doveton.
Officers followed the vehicle to Butler Street, Eumemmering where they observed six individuals exit the vehicle and flee to a nearby residential property. All six were later arrested without incident.
Police will allege the youths were involved in 11 incidents including stealing four cars, between Saturday 11 and Thursday 23 February.
Their offending allegedly occurred in Oakleigh, Keysborough, Dandenong, Toorak, Cheltenham, Clayton, Forest Hill, Keysborough, Malvern, and Narre Warren.
All four cars, a Porsche, two Volkswagens and a Suzuki, have since been recovered.
A further two arrests were made today by the Southern Metro Region Crime Squad after detectives executed made further inquiries at a residential address in Hallam, arresting a 13-year-old Doveton boy and a 15-year-old Botanic Ridge boy.
The 13-year-old Doveton boy has been charged with attempted aggravated burglary, theft of motor vehicle, affray, unlawful assault, burglary, theft, robbery, failure to answer bail and commit an indictable offender while on bail.
The 15-year-old Botanic Ridge boy has been charged with aggravated burglary, theft of motor vehicle, theft and commit an indictable offence while on bail.
Both have been remanded to appear before a children's court at a later date.
The seven youths arrested on 23 February include:
A 15-year-old Springvale South boy charged with theft of motor vehicle, theft, affray and commit an indictable offence while on bail.
He was remanded to appear before a children's court at a later date.
A 12-year-old Doveton boy charged with theft of motor vehicle, affray, robbery, shop theft, and commit an indictable offence while on bail.
A 15-year-old Pakenham boy charged with theft of motor vehicle, burglary, and shop theft.
A 17-year-old Pakenham boy charged with theft of motor vehicle, affray, shop theft, and commit an indictable offender while on bail.
All three have been bailed to appear before a children's court at a later date.
An 18-year-old Doveton man charged with theft of motor vehicle and possess cannabis. He was remanded to appear before the Dandenong Magistrates Court on 3 March.
A 15-year-old from Frankston boy charged with theft of motor vehicle, burglary and shop theft was released pending summons.
A 15-year-old Catani boy was also arrested and interviewed by police. He was later released pending further inquiries.
Operation Bird is an on-going operation run across Melbourne's south-east targeting vehicle theft and residential burglaries.
The operation sees local police working collaboratively with specialist units including the Southern Metro Crime Squad, Highway Patrol, Air Wing and Dog Squad to act on real time intelligence to identify and apprehend offenders.
Comprising of dedicated units, police are tasked to conduct uniform and covert patrols every single night intercepting vehicles, checking people, and gathering intelligence.
