Police seize knife in shopping centre brawl that led to five arrests
Five people, including girls aged 12 to 17, arrested after a knife was seized during a brawl at a Melbourne shopping centre.
Officers patrolling Northland Shopping Centre's food court in Preston spotted a group of females fighting on Friday evening. Four girls aged 12, 14, 16, and 17, plus an 18-year-old woman from Coburg North, were arrested.
A knife was seized during the incident. The 14-year-old was taken to hospital with minor injuries; the 12-year-old was treated by paramedics at the scene and later released.
The three older teenagers were interviewed and are expected to be charged on summons. Police are investigating the circumstances of the brawl.
Why it mattersThis is the latest violent incident at a major shopping centre. Data shows 5,901 crimes were reported across 13 major Melbourne shopping centres in the 2024-25 financial year, up 20 per cent from the previous year.
AustraliaNorthland Shopping Centre in Melbourne's western suburbs has become a focal point for violent crime, with police increasing patrols and investigations into patterns of gang-related incidents at the retail precinct.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 5 d ago
