Home invasions are out of control again:
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/i-thought-he-would-kill-me-homeowner...'I thought he would kill me' Homeowners terrorised in string of home invasions across Melbourne.
By Ebony Bowden & Melissa Cunningham
28 February 2018 — 9:32am
One man was assaulted and at least four other homeowners terrorised in a string of violent home invasions across Melbourne overnight.
A 96-year-old woman was among the victims of the home invasions as thieves struck properties in Skye, Bayswater, Brighton and St Albans on Tuesday night.
Sofia Barbopoulos, 96, was asleep in her bed when she heard the offender break into her home in Gertrude Street, St Albans just after 4.30am.
He is described as being tall, with a thin build and was wearing dark clothing.
Then, at 1.10am, a male offender forced his way into a home in Bayswater. A man and woman residing there locked themselves in a bedroom to avoid coming into contact with him.
Police interrupted the robbery and chased the offender, who fled in a getaway vehicle. Officers pursued the car, but lost sight of the white Holden ute in Ringwood East.
Just before 3am, a 43-year-old Brighton man was also confronted by at least one male offender inside his Lucas Street home. The man fled through a rear door after stealing a large quantity of jewellery from the property.
It is not clear if the home invasions are linked.
Chief Commisisoner Graham Ashton said police believe a "core group" of repeat offenders are behind a recent spate of home invasions and violent burglaries in Melbourne's west and north-west.
At least three homes in Albion and Taylors Hill were broken into earlier this week, while a McDonald's outlet in Essendon was also badly damaged by offenders wielding garden stakes.
Mr Ashton said a spate of this sort of crime could happen when repeat offenders were released from custody.