WARNING: GRAPHIC FOOTAGE AND IMAGES
Footage of a brutal attack being carried out at a major intersection in Melbourne’s east has highlighted the extent of Victoria’s crime crisis.
Video obtained by SkyNews.com.au shows what appears to be two masked men repeatedly kicking an individual lying in the middle of the road in Box Hill, about 15km east of Melbourne’s CBD.
The incident is understood to have occurred late on Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of Whitehorse Road and Station Street.
The footage shows two males punching, kicking and stomping on a third individual who is attempting to protect themselves while lying on the ground in the fetal position.
The video begins with one of the alleged attackers – dressed in black shoes, black pants and a black hoody – punching the victim in the head, who is already lying in front of traffic at the busy intersection.
A second man, who is wearing a balaclava and is dressed in white runners, black pants with a white stripe down the side, a black and white top, then joins in on the violence, as both alleged attackers repeatedly kick and stomp on the unknown victim.
The two men then calmly walk back to the sidewalk before heading north along Station Street.
Shadow police minister Brad Battin told SkyNews.com.au the brazen nature of the violence highlighted the state of Victoria’s crime crisis.
“Seeing violence like this on the streets sends a clear message – when it’s in broad daylight – that these offenders are seriously confident they will never get caught,” he said.
The Liberal member for Berwick – who served as a police officer prior to entering parliament – said this was “what happens when you have 1,500 vacancies on police rosters”.
Police employee numbers released earlier this year show that under the Allan government, the police force has fallen to just 15,601 full time officers, the lowest level since September 2019.
Over the same period, Victoria’s population has grown by more than 500,000 people, while crime rates have surged from more than 528,000 offences to almost 641,000 – an increase of 21.3 per cent.
In the City of Whitehorse – the local government area where the attack occurred – the number of criminal offences rose to 11,844 in 2025, an increase of 8.6 per cent.
Of these, 2,492 offences occurred in Box Hill – more than double the next most crime-plagued Whitehorse suburb.
Mr Battin claimed only the Liberals and Nationals had a plan to solve the crisis through the recruitment of 3,000 new police officers.
When contacted about the incident, Victoria Police said it had not yet been reported to authorities.