Fighting an intruder during a home invasion can be dangerous. What are your rights? What are the laws in Australia?

Home invasion laws: Your rights in Australia when an intruder breaks in

It started in Bentleigh East about 8.40pm on Sunday night.

In the otherwise peaceful suburb, 14km southeast of the Melbourne CBD, a violent and terrifying home invasion was playing out.

Four young men — identified by police as teenagers from the African community — assaulted a 39-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman before stealing jewellery, computers and the couple’s black BMW.

The stolen vehicle was driven west to the West Gate Bridge where the driver crashed.

When a motorist stopped to offer assistance, they became the group’s next target.

One of the offenders reached for the car door but was unable to open it as the good Samaritan fled.

A short time later, in Port Melbourne, a woman with a small child was threatened with a knife.

The teens stole her car as she was putting her child in the back, police said.

In Derrimut, near Sunshine in Melbourne’s western suburbs, four elderly occupants were asleep when the four teens broke in wearing masks and wielding knives.

They held a knife to the throat of one woman, who told Seven News she screamed at the teens to “please leave us, we have nothing to give to you”.

They stole two cars from the property and carried out another violent home invasion in Mernda, in Melbourne’s north, about 4am yesterday.

Police arrested one of the teens but three others remain on the run.

In an extraordinary interview on Melbourne talkback radio this morning, Commander Stuart Bateson, head of the Australian-African Community Taskforce, told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell the crimes were “horrible” and the offenders were showing no signs of “slowing down”.

“We’ve had a horrendous couple of days,” Commander Bateson said.

“There’s been a group of four young men that’ve gone on a crime spree that started in Bentleigh East with a home invasion on Sunday night.

“Cars stolen, people terrorised. A carjacking on the Westgate Freeway where a young child was being put into a car — that car was carjacked.

“Then there were home invasions in Derrimut and Mernda. A horrible, horrible series of crimes committed by this group of young men.”

Asked if police knew who they were looking for, Commander Bateson said police had identified those responsible and had been in touch with their families.

“We’ve got one in custody. We know who the other three are. We’ve contacted their families and told them to hand them in. We’re pursuing them vigorously.”

He said the teens have all been in custody before and served time in a youth justice facility before their release.

“They have been in custody before but we don’t have the opportunity to keep them there forever. I’m not sure how long they’ve been out, but yeah, they’re known to us.”

Asked if he thought they were a threat, Commander Bateson said “absolutely”.

“Until we get them into custody they’re absolutely a threat. They’ve shown no signs of slowing down.”

Police released the image of one of the men, 18-year-old Ali Sari. They said the Shepparton teen is wanted in relation to the incidents across Melbourne this week.

They arrested a 17-year-old Broadmeadows teen yesterday and charged him with one count of aggravated burglary, three counts of home invasion, five counts of theft of a motor vehicle and three counts of theft.

He has been remanded to appear at a children’s court at a later date.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppers.com.au