Nine teenagers charged over alleged Melbourne carjackings

Police in Melbourne have charged nine teenagers, all between the ages of 15 and 17, in connection with a series of alleged carjackings that occurred in the city's northern suburbs this month. The arrests followed a period of intensive police activity, including the execution of search warrants between July 22 and July 28.

During the raids, officers recovered an allegedly stolen vehicle, along with illicit drugs, tasers, a firearm that was not stored correctly, and performance-enhancing substances such as peptides and steroids. The nine youths collectively face 61 charges. These include serious offenses such as aggravated carjacking, carjacking, discharging a firearm, affray, and intentionally causing injury.

The charges are linked to a total of 18 alleged carjacking incidents that took place between July 1 and July 10. The affected areas include suburbs such as Coburg, Fawkner, Hadfield, Campbellfield, Mickleham, and Wallan. Following their arrests, all nine teenagers were remanded in custody.

They are scheduled to appear before a children's court at a later date to face the charges. The ongoing investigation aims to address the recent spate of vehicle thefts and associated criminal activity in the region.