Operation Eclipse targets Melbourne hospitality crime wave

0:00Good afternoon. First of all, to news just in, Victoria Police has announced a major new task force to tackle Melbourne's shocking wave of hospitality, arson attacks, drive-by shootings and kidnappings. Let's go straight to Jacqueline Stanley at Police Headquarters, Jack Specialist Detectives will focus on the criminal masterminds operating behind the scenes. Everything is on the table according to Police Carina. This new operation will crack down on this wave of attacks at hospitality venues using specialist detectives from the arson and gang crime squads, the cybercrime division among others. They're determined to find out who is pulling the strings here. There is a patent police arcing, though. They say organised crime groups are recruiting young people to carry out their offending with 15 people arrested so far since late March.

1:00This new wave of arson attacks has swept right across the city, largely taking place. In the CBD, Port Phillip and Stonnington areas, police hold grave concerns. Let's take a listen. You know, my biggest nightmare is that there are people inside that venue and their petraps. The potential for death is real here. We, for that reason, have established operation eclipse and I'm confident we will get to the bottom of this. We will unpack what's behind it. It may take some time and it will take the assistance of the industry and the public, but we will get there. Two of the 15 arrests happened yesterday morning at left bank, a restaurant in South Bank, two 16-year-old boys with his afternoon denied bail, charged with conspiracy, I should say, to commit arson. And police today said that kids are being paid between $520,000 to commit these hits. We'll have more at six, Corinna.