'Gang of 22' alleged victim doesn't want robbery accused to go to jail
A woman who was allegedly robbed by a group of boys has said she doesn’t want to see them jailed, but would rather they undergo “mentoring”.
The boys, one as young as 12, allegedly broke into Alex Villacourta’s Adelaide home as she and her husband slept, stealing the couple’s Alfa Romeo.
“The car was gone, everything was gone,” Mrs Villacourta said.
“My husband was much more upset than I was, the next night he woke up on the hour, every hour and checked all the doors.”
Despite the ongoing effect on her husband, Mrs Villacourta said she wanted to help the group, who have dubbed themselves the “Gang of 22”.
“I’d be quite prepared to talk to these kids and tell them how it affected my life,” she said.
It’s alleged the same boys were involved in two other car thefts at Medindie and Wattle Park last week.
In court on Monday, a sixth youth was refused bail over the alleged crime spree, with family members defending the boy’s actions.
“Well there’s reasons that you do things, like there could’ve been a reason why they did that,” the boy’s sister said outside court.
All six boys have been denied bail with a Magistrate saying she had “little hope” the group wouldn’t reoffend.
Today's top news stories- January 17
