Melbourne's hidden blade epidemic: Young people stashing knives in public places

Police intelligence suggests that young people are stashing knives in public places across Melbourne, in an attempt to skirt Victoria's machete ban. The ban, introduced a year ago, has led to a growing trend among underage offenders to secretly store communal blades at busy train stations.

Rise in communal weapons storage

Police reports obtained through Freedom of Information laws have flagged a rise in "communal weapons storage" at major public transport precincts across Melbourne, which have seen a spate of violent stabbings, bashings, and carjackings in the past two years.

"It is highly likely offenders are storing weapons at railway stations for later use in commission of offences," the report said.

However, an "intelligence gap" means police do not know the true number of weapons, which often also include kitchen knives and gardening tools, being hidden in public places.

Expert insights

Australian Catholic University criminologist Nathan Ryan said young people were seeking to reduce the risk of being caught carrying illegal weapons.

"To counter the risk they've engaged in this hiding behaviour and essentially creating weapons caches around suitable locations or locations where they might commit a crime," he said.

Police response

Victoria Police says officers routinely conduct sweeps around railway stations for weapons. A Victoria Police spokeswoman said members were "well aware" that people tried to hide weapons out in the community.

"As part of our regular patrols, Protective Services Officers conduct sweeps of railway station surrounds to detect weapons which are purposefully concealed from public view," she said.

Politics and proposed legislation

Shadow Police Minister Brad Battin said knife crime was already "out of control" and that minors hiding weapons in public places put the community at greater risk.

"You have to assume the kids are putting them in there because they're easy to get to, easy access, places they can get to without a car and where we generally have the most incidents of knife crime," he said.

Police Minister Paul Edbrooke said the new powers would give police the tools they needed to get dangerous blades off the street and encouraged people to report illegal weapons.

"Victorians are absolutely appalled by knife crime," he said.

"Anyone who knows of a machete being kept in a public place should report it to Victoria Police."

Statistics and context

Crimes committed at train stations jumped from just under 8,000 offences in 2017 to 12,579 in the year to June 2026, according to Crime Statistics Agency data.

Victoria Police seized 15,000 machetes, zombie knives, and other knives last year.