Teens armed with machetes trigger shopping centre lockdown

A Melbourne shopping centre was sent into lockdown on Friday night amid reports of a confrontation between teenage males brandishing machetes.

Police said witnesses described seeing five or six boys arguing inside Caroline Springs Square Shopping Centre in the western suburbs about 6.40pm.

Some people who work at the complex reported that some of the teens were armed with machetes.

Bhanush Sharma, who works at the Mister Minit watch and shoe repair kiosk within the centre, was there during the lockdown.

He said his staff told him what happened, although he didn’t see the teens himself.

“They were just waving the machetes, no one was hurt,” he said. “After 25-30 minutes, they [the centre management] said you can come out of lockdown.”

Police said there were no reports of injuries. “Upon police attendance all the males had fled the area,” a spokesperson said.

Katherine, who asked not to be fully identified, said she was in the shopping centre’s Coles supermarket buying milk for her son’s breakfast when the lockdown began.

“I was in the dairy aisle, far away from the entrance, and a guy in plain clothes was running up and down the aisles telling people to stay in the store and there was something going on outside,” she said.

“He was telling all the staff to put the shutters down, so they did. And then nobody really knew what was going on. There were whispers that there was a guy running around with a machete or a knife. We were waiting around for, I don’t know, maybe 10 minutes and then the staff were saying ... they would open the shutters just a little bit and we could run out by the other exit by the post office.”

The incident is the second involving teens, machetes and a shopping centre in Melbourne in the past two weeks.

Preston’s Northland shopping centre was placed into lockdown on May 25 as rival gangs with machetes chased each other through the complex. The incident prompted an immediate crackdown on the sale of machetes in Victoria.

Footage of another incident of a teenager holding a machete to the throat of a boy in a McDonald’s toilet emerged several days after the Northland incident.

Katherine said she was grateful that the staff had reacted quickly.

“Hearing what’s been going on in other places like Northland … it’s scary, so it’s good they listened to the guy and then made sure people were getting out safe.

“You think Friday night at seven o’clock is a safe time to go to the shops, and then you get caught up in that and … [you begin to wonder] is it the kids attacking themselves or is it just like a crazy person attacking other people?”

Katherine said she saw a strong police presence on her way out of the shopping centre.

CS Square centre management confirmed to The Age that it had initiated a lockdown in response to the incident.

“The safety and security of our customers, retailers and staff is of the highest priority, and we are actively working with the proper authorities to assist with their investigation,” they said.

Anyone who witnessed the Caroline Springs incident, has video footage or any other information that could assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

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