North Shore police have arrested three teenagers for a spate of gang-style robberies in which the victims were kidnapped and used as taxi drivers.
The three, aged 13, 14 and 17, were arrested after investigations into five aggravated robberies at Glenfield Mall.
In each case victims were robbed at knifepoint
after withdrawing money from an ATM.
Detective Sergeant Craig McCormack said the victims were usually walking back to their cars or getting into their cars when they were approached.
They were robbed of their wallets, cellphones and cash, and in several cases forced into their own car and told to drive.
In the latest incident a man was forced by the person who had just robbed him to drive to a nearby street where a second young person climbed into the car.
Mr McCormack said police began working on the spate of robberies this week after noticing similarities. The first was in May, while the other four have occurred since Saturday. Police believe there may have been others they have not heard about yet.
Mr McCormack believes the three arrested youths are part of a wider group of young people who are hanging out in the Glenfield area.
It is alleged the young people are working in pairs, learning from each other then taking a new person along with them for training the next time.
Mr McCormack said the youths appeared to be copying American street gangs.
"Definitely their attitudes, actions, behaviours and clothing appeared to be aligned with typical Bloods and Crips type gangs."
Anyone with information about such robberies is asked to contact Mr McCormack on 477 5000.
