Armed youth gang in brawl

COMMUNITY leaders have appealed for more police in Lara after the second incident of youth gang violence in a month.

Witnesses described a large group of youths armed with bats and poles brawling in the Lara train station carpark on Saturday morning. The brawl comes weeks after terrified passengers were locked inside a V/Line train while groups of teens walked up and down the train banging on windows. Windermere Ward councillor Kylie Grzybek was among those calling for help for the town yesterday.

COMMUNITY leaders have appealed for a greater police presence and more CCTV in Lara after the second incident of youth gang violence in a month.

Witnesses described a large group of youths armed with bats and poles brawling in the Lara train station car park early on Saturday morning.

The brawl comes weeks after terrified passengers were locked inside a V/Line train while groups of teens walked up and down the platform banging on the train windows.

City of Greater Geelong Windermere Ward councillor Kylie Grzybek was among those calling for help for the beleaguered town yesterday.

“If we’re seeing an increase in trouble on the nights (Lara train station is) not manned I’d be asking for some help from protective service officers or police,” Cr Grzybek said.

“I know police are working hard with the resources they’ve got … it’s just how do we manage ... demand and that’s a state issue.”

“We’d been to see what council can do and what we can do as a community to help people who live near the station or use the station to feel safe … whether that be requesting PSOs (Protective Services Officers) to man the station or additional CCTV cameras.”

A group of youths allegedly stormed the Lara APCO service station in an armed holdup in July. “We certainly do call for extra police presence (in the Lara area),” APCO director Peter Anderson told the Addy.

Mr Anderson was also supportive of increased PSO presence at the station and CCTV

cameras.

A witness, who did not want to be named, told the Geelong Advertiser that about 12.30am Saturday, youths were hooning, swearing loudly and hitting each other.

The witness said about 25 young men, aged between 16 and 20, were involved, with youths fighting near Lara station.

“They were running in all directions, there were just so many people trying to fight each other,” he said.

At least half were armed with bats or poles, the witness said.

He said the youths ap- peared to be of caucasian appearance.

Victoria Police spokeswoman Leonie Johnson said police received a report of a group of youths fighting in the street in Lara early Saturday morning.

“Police arrived within minutes and located a small group of youths about 12.45am,” she said. “Police spoke with the group and arrested a 20-yearold man for being drunk in a public place.

“The group was dispersed and monitored by police without further incident. There were no weapons sighted at any point.”

Police launched a crime crackdown in Lara’s troubled skate park precinct earlier this year, focused on vandalism, public nuisance and theft offences related to a number of young people congregating in public spaces.

Police Minister Lisa Neville said “there are more police working in Geelong than ever before, with 53 new full time police positions funded in the Greater Geelong area — which covers Lara — since the Labor Government was elected.

“That has seen the crime rate reduce by 7.1 per cent.”