Machete raid

By Rebecca Fraser
MACHETEwielding gatecrashers have left a family living in fear after they raided an 18th birthday party.
The gang of between 15 and 20 returned to storm the house in the early hours of Saturday morning after being told to leave the invitationonly event earlier in the night.
One of the raiders held his machete against a boy’s throat while the others threw bottles and chairs and smashed a window of the home in Robin Close, Doveton, during the 3am incident.
The 18yearold said her mother was taken to Dandenong Hospital with a sprained ankle after being pushed over by the youths, and another teenager suffered injuries to the chest after being threatened with a machete.
Others suffered severe bruising from the assaults.
They said they were still in shock and having trouble sleeping following the incident and did not wish to be named for fear of reprisals.
Still nursing her injured ankle, the mother said her 20yearold Down syndrome son had been sleeping in the front bedroom at the time of the assaults and was now too scared to leave his house and return to his adult day centre.
“He wants to stay home and protect the house because I am here on my own.
“He was asleep in my room but woke up when I was screaming and ringing the police.
“Lucky he did wake up because someone threw something through the window and smashed it.
“This would have got him if he had still been in bed,” the mother said.
The family said they had alerted local police to the party but that officers had to delay their response while they waited for backup to arrive in order to deal with the armed men.
The year 12 student at Eumemmerring Secondary College Hallam Campus said she was now struggling to study for her end of year exams.
“My school friends are a bit shaken too and one girl has massive bruises and another has bruised knees from being pushed over.
“It was very calculated,” she said.
The 18yearold, who hopes to become a disability carer, said the gatecrashers became aggressive when she had initially told them to leave the party.
“They got a bit angry and pushed a bit and I got pushed into the fence but then they went but said ‘watch out we will come back later.’
“Then they came back with three car loads after the party had quietened down.
“There was only about 25 people left and they just came in and went crazy throwing bottles and chairs.”
A Robin close resident, who also wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, said she had been shocked by the incident.
“It woke up all the neighbours and some thought it was a gun shot.
“I was out the front calling 000 and a boy said to me ‘you too lady’.
“He went at me with something in his hand.
“We had always had parties here and the street has always been really quiet,” she said.
The family is now waiting for an insurance assessor to visit the home.
They said an Esky had been slashed with a machete and a shed and their side trellis were also damaged.
Police are still taking statements and anyone with any information has been urged to contact Detective Senior Constable Kevin Cooper of Narre Warren CIU on 9705 3111 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.