Youth rampage

By Tania Martin
A MOB of more than 100 youths went on a vandalism rampage for more than two hours in Emerald last Friday night.
Police were called in from Pakenham to quell the vandalism in which the police station was sprayed with graffiti, bottles were smashed, windows broken and rubbish was thrown across the streets.
It took police until 1.30 on Saturday morning to bring order to the streets. They are now calling for witnesses.
Acting Sergeant Stuart Halligan said police were ‘fed-up’ with the continual senseless damage and vandalism that was being thrust on the town.
This latest incident follows several vandalism attacks in Emerald in late October last year.
Sgt Halligan said that the scene for the latest unrest was set when the youths, who were not from Emerald, were denied access to a party.
Police were called to help control the situation at the party shortly after the youths arrived.
Sgt Halligan said the host of the party also made a decision to end the party earlier than expected to prevent any problems.
He said it was then that the youths moved on to unfortunately make their ‘own fun’ in the town centre.
But police weren’t given any indication that the group would later go on a rampage of the town.
Sgt Halligan said the flashpoint came shortly after 11pm when police attempted to catch a youth riding a trail bike.
He said the youth who was riding the bike was wearing an orange and black helmet and eluded police by cutting through parks and laneways.
Sgt Halligan said following the motorcycle chase the situation started to go downhill.
He said one youth threw a bottle at the Traffic Management Unit police.
“They (youths) then went around emptying bins and rubbish all over the town – around Kilvington Drive and down back laneways,” Sgt Halligan said.
“They smashed bottles all over the streets, and tagged both the police station and the Gemco Players theatre with graffiti and smashed windows at the primary school.”
School principal Mark Carver said the continual damage to the school was a constant frustration to staff, teachers and parents.
But this is not the first time that Emerald Primary School has been the target of such destruction.
In October last year the school had more than 27 windows smashed and is again faced with dipping into school funds to pay for senseless vandalism.
Mr Carver said four windows were smashed in the latest attack, this time including three classroom windows and one to the cleaner’s storeroom.
“Things like this are just sad and senseless and affect our school community,” he said.
Mr Carver said the school would now have to use funds that would ordinarily be used for education programs to fix the damage.
“I would love to be able to speak to these kids to show them what a waste the damage is to everyone’s time and money,” he said.
Sgt Halligan said police were keen to hear from any witnesses.
Anyone who may have seen or heard anything should contact Emerald police on 5968 4422 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.