Police will carry out more random weapon searches to reduce knife crime, Victoria's police chief says as an accused machete attacker fronts court.
A 39-year-old man was injured when the 15-year-old boy allegedly assaulted him with the weapon at St Kilda in Melbourne's southeast.
Police allege the teen and a female approached the victim along Barkly Street on Sunday night, demanding he hand over his car keys and a mobile phone.
It's alleged the 15-year-old stole the items and attacked the 39-year-old with a machete before fleeing the scene with his female accomplice.
The boy was arrested on Monday and charged with armed robbery, intentionally causing serious injury, assault with a weapon and possessing a controlled weapon.
He fronted a children's court on Tuesday morning, where he was remanded in custody ahead of an expected bail application next week.
The 39-year-old victim remains in hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton maintained knife crime was on the decline across the state, with a 3.5 per cent drop in the number of edge weapon offences in 2024.
But police would continue to carry out random weapons searches to make sure those numbers dropped further, Mr Patton said.
"We are seeing a lot of violence used with edge weapons," he told ABC Radio Melbourne on Tuesday.
"That's why it's a key focus of ours."
Victoria Police seized 13,060 weapons in the past year through 30 random searches in public spaces and targeted raids of homes, Mr Patton said.
