Victoria Police is investigating concerns about weapons being deliberately hidden in public places across Melbourne, with intelligence reports indicating that some young offenders may be storing knives near railway stations and other major transport precincts.

The information was detailed in Victoria Police intelligence briefs obtained by the ABC and reported on Saturday, 19 September 2026. The reports identify what police describe as a rise in “communal weapons storage”, where weapons are allegedly concealed in public locations so they can be accessed later rather than being carried by individuals.

Police believe some teenagers are using this method to avoid being caught carrying prohibited weapons. The intelligence reports specifically identify major railway stations and other busy public areas as locations where weapons may be hidden. The weapons can include machetes, knives and other readily available blades. Police also acknowledge there is an intelligence gap, meaning authorities do not know the full number of weapons potentially being stored this way.

Victoria Police has said officers and Protective Services Officers routinely conduct sweeps around railway stations and surrounding areas to locate weapons that may have been deliberately concealed. These areas have received increased attention because of previous reports of violent incidents involving knives and other weapons.

The issue comes after Victoria introduced restrictions on machetes and other weapons. According to the intelligence reports, police are concerned that some young people attempting to avoid the restrictions may instead hide weapons in locations where they can access them when needed.

Victoria Police estimated that more than 15,000 machetes, zombie knives and other knives were seized across Victoria during the previous year. The figure includes different types of bladed weapons seized during police operations and investigations.

Public transport locations have become a particular focus because they are accessible to large numbers of people and are connected to surrounding shopping areas, streets and residential communities. Police intelligence identified railway stations, bus stops, shopping centres and parts of Melbourne's central business district among areas where weapon searches have taken place.

Crime Statistics Agency data cited that offences recorded at train stations increased to 12,579 in the year to June 2026, compared with just under 8,000 offences in 2017. The figures cover a broad range of offences and are not limited to knife-related incidents.

Victoria Police has encouraged members of the public to report information about weapons being hidden in public places. Police say regular patrols and searches around transport locations are intended to identify concealed weapons before they can be used.

The reports also highlight the difficulty of determining how widespread the practice is. Because weapons can be hidden in locations that are difficult to monitor continuously, police do not have a complete picture of how many weapons may be stored across Melbourne.

The issue remains under investigation as Victoria Police continues patrols and weapons searches around public transport precincts. Authorities are also monitoring patterns of offending and intelligence reports to identify locations where concealed weapons may pose a risk.

The latest report was published on 19 September 2026, making this a today-only news item and a different story from the previously provided shark attack, Wongawallan bushfire and Albury-Wodonga flu stories.