3 hours ago
2
Footage has emerged of the moment a teenage boy who was on bail is alleged to have stabbed a woman on an escalator in Melbourne’s east this week.
A 25-year-old woman from Mount Waverley remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital after being attacked while walking through the M-City Shopping Centre on Blackburn Road in Clayton on her way to work about 7.50am on Thursday.
The 16-year-old accused has been charged with six offences, including committing a crime while on bail.
The CCTV from a drinks shop at M-City shopping centre, Clayton, shows a near-deserted mall before the 25-year-old, on her way to work, makes her way towards the escalators.
A young male in a white top with black sleeves appears over her left shoulder moments later, staying a few paces behind her as she turns onto the escalator.
The footage shows he keeps this distance as the escalator takes them both up, then lunges with his right hand, towards the woman’s back. He then turns and flees.
By the time the woman turns around, evidently perplexed by the sudden contact, he is almost off the escalator, stealing a glance over his shoulder as he runs back the way he came.
A passerby later helped the woman and called Triple Zero.
The woman was taken to The Alfred hospital with upper body injuries, Ambulance Victoria confirmed. She remained at the hospital in a serious but stable condition on Thursday night.
Police arrested the boy soon after at a local medical centre.
They later charged him with intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury, assaulting someone with a weapon, possessing a controlled weapon, theft and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
The boy was remanded in custody to appear at a children’s court at a later date, police said.
It was the second stabbing in Melbourne in 24 hours. Early on Friday, a 71-year-old man arrived at a Port Melbourne cafe nursing three stab wounds.
Police are continuing to hunt for the culprit. Officers say the victim was stabbed by an unknown man while walking near Crighton Reserve on Liardett Street about 5.20am.
The victim’s injuries are also not life-threatening. Police are seeking witnesses and information from the public.
In a third incident, police have charged a 15-year-old boy with slashing a 17-year-old with a machete in Mickleham, northern Melbourne, on Friday, February 27.
The 17-year-old has since been released from hospital, while the younger boy is now facing seven charges after turning himself in to a police station on Wednesday.
Police believe this incident was targeted and that a second teenager was also a perpetrator. Officers police are still trying to track down that individual.
Knife crime has returned to being a major topic of discussion in Victoria recently off the back of a number of serious crimes.
On March 6, 22-year-old Aidan Becker died after being slashed by a gang of teenage boys while trying to stop them robbing another teenage boy.
On Wednesday this week, fresh crime statistics showed a record number of knives and machetes were seized in 2025, despite the state government’s three-month machete amnesty.
Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here.
