Teenage girl found with large knife bailed for August hearing

A 16-YEAR-OLD girl was found with a large knife in her bag on Malop St yesterday and is linked to an attempted armed robbery in Waurn Ponds, a court has heard.

The teenager fronted a Children’s Court yesterday charged with attempted armed robbery, attempted aggravated burglary and possession of a knife.

A police informant told the bail hearing she was arrested on Thursday at 4pm outside Time Zone on Malop St.

“She was wanted in relation to an attempted armed robbery in the Waurn Ponds, Grovedale area.” He said police identified her through CCTV footage.

“The accused and co-accused tried to sell a Sony digital camera, which was refused, and then one of the co-accused has produced a screw driver and threatened the worker at the store,” he said.

“The male held the screw driver in his hand and made a threatening gesture. That’s when he said ‘I’m going to stick you’.”

The police informant told the bail hearing the accused were known to police.

“One of the co-accused’s charges include attempted armed robbery, attempted aggravated burglary and theft of motor vehicle — where he was nominated as a co-accused.”

He said the other 15-yearold co-accused was a known graffiti artist and had been involved in residential burglaries.

“The accused’s mother believed they were in a relationship,” he said.

“The other offending we believe they have been involved in are aggravated burglaries in the Waurn Ponds, Grovedale area.”

A magistrate said the teenage girl was clearly mixing with the wrong people and granted her bail on the condition she attended a doctor for treatment of her ADHD.

The 16-year-old will reappear for a hearing in the Children’s Court in August.