An 18-year-old Melbourne schoolboy was brutally hacked with machetes by two masked attackers who ambushed him during an attempted e-bike theft in Wantirna. The teenager was riding his e-bike at JW Manson Reserve, in the city's outer east, at 6.15pm on June 20 when the ambush occurred.
"I was out riding my e-bike, stopped to check my phone, and was knocked off my bike from behind," the victim, who turned 18 this week, told the Herald Sun. "They started swinging the machetes at me when I was on the ground. I was extremely shocked, but I knew what was happening and managed to get up [and] run away, leaving my bike behind. They chased me down, saying stuff like, 'Oi just kill him right now' and 'Quick, quick, just kill him'."
The boy was slashed across his back several times before one of the attackers plunged a blade into his left shoulder. "I thought they were going to kill me and was begging them not to and asking them why they were doing this. They then got on my e-bike and rode away," he said.
Hospitalization and Police Investigation
The victim staggered to a nearby street, where passers-by assisted him before he was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He required several surgeries and spent a week in hospital recovering from the ordeal. The attackers escaped with the e-bike, which is valued at around $10,000, and his mobile phone.
Victoria Police have launched an appeal for public assistance to identify the attackers after CCTV footage captured them riding through Melbourne's eastern suburbs on June 20. Knox CIU Senior Sergeant Samuel Beard said locating the two offenders is the top priority for his unit.
"The sheer and immediate violence in the attack is just reprehensible. It's absolutely disgusting," Senior Sergeant Beard said. "Any small piece of information might be the final piece of the puzzle we need."
Machete Laws and Safety Concerns
The attack occurred nine months after Victoria removed a machete safe disposal bin program that allowed people to surrender weapons safely and without consequence. The Victorian Government stated that 14,000 weapons were taken off the streets through the disposal program.
The teenager said he believes machetes are now common among young people in Melbourne and that he does not think an effective solution to machete violence exists. In Victoria, it is illegal to own, use, carry, transport, buy, or sell machetes unless covered by an exemption or valid approval. Possession carries penalties of up to two years in jail or a fine exceeding $48,000.
Anyone who witnessed the attack or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
