In brief
Victoria Police announced on November 6 that Operation Phoenix will be broadened statewide, adding overnight patrols and targeted interventions to tackle shootings and arson. The July‑launched operation has already yielded more than 230 arrests linked to organized crime. The expansion will involve saturation of high‑risk areas in the CBD, southern and eastern suburbs and will draw on resources from a burglary and vehicle theft operation that has made over 5,800 arrests since 2023. ABC reports on the move, though the cited page is currently unavailable.
Victoria Police on Friday announced the expansion of Operation Phoenix, a city‑wide crackdown on shootings and arson that has already led to more than 230 arrests linked to organized crime. The new phase, to begin Sunday, will see dedicated overnight patrols and proactive interventions targeting offenders in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, the CBD and lower‑density outlying areas.
The original operation, launched in July to combat extortion‑related arson, drive‑by shootings and crime‑as‑a‑service offences, has focused on the northwest suburbs where young offenders are used to act for larger criminal networks. Police officials say that arson remains a key intimidation tool for organised groups and that the majority of incidents targeted thus far have involved known offenders.
Under the expanded framework, officers will “target known offenders” and “saturate high‑risk areas” in a coordinated effort that also incorporates resources from a separate statewide operation fighting aggravated burglaries and vehicle thefts. That secondary operation has amassed over 5,800 arrests since 2023.
An accompanying statement from the police said that the growing exploitation of youth to commit violent crime poses a risk to the broader community and that they remain “concerned about the significant risks these incidents pose to the broader community.”
ABC News has also reported the expansion, although the specific page cited is currently unavailable. Both sources confirm the extension of Officer‑in‑command measures and the addition of overnight patrols as part of the broader strategy to shrink serious violent crime across Melbourne.
