Two teenagers are among three men who have been arrested after a father was allegedly stabbed in the head after a family home was targeted in Melbourne’s north-east while toddlers were at the house.
He will need surgery after the attack police described as “awful”.
Three other adults – the children’s grandparents and mother – were also attacked and taken to hospital following the allegedly random attack at a home on Oxford Street in Kew East around 4am today.
The home invasion occurred at a home in Kew East. (Nine)
Detective Sergeant Leeanne Trusler said she’d “never seen anything like this” incident while speaking to media this afternoon.
The five offenders allegedly smashed their way through a window of the house with secateurs they found in the garden, then confronted a husband and wife they had woken up.
“This is awful,” Trusler said.
“I don’t know how I would be if that was my family.”
They group allegedly forced the wife to stay in the room where her two and three-year-old children were asleep, and took the husband to another room, where he was stabbed 11 times in his head, face and arms with a machete.
Trusler said the grandparents, aged 70 and 69, rushed to the man’s aid, and the grandfather was cut on his hands and leg.
The grandmother was pushed around, suffering bruising and scuff marks to her face.
Four of the offenders then allegedly got into the victim’s BMW, and the fifth offender left in the vehicle all the offenders arrived in.
The stolen BWM was found dumped on Christie Street in Deer Park after it was involved in a collision.
Three males were arrested a short time later on Hamilton Street in Deer Park.
The husband, a 39-year-old man, was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Trusler said that as well as cuts he had suffered a broken arm and would need eye surgery.
The mother, a 34-year-old woman, was treated for minor injuries.
Detective Sergeant Leeanne Trusler said the victim was very seriously injured. (Nine)
The two children and a fifth adult were not injured.
Teenage boys aged 16 and 17 and a 24-year-old Caroline Springs man are being interviewed as police continue to search for the other offenders.
Trusler said she believed this incident was different to typical aggravated burglaries where cars are stolen while families sleep because the homeowner confronted the group.
“It’s generally sneak in, sneak out and off they go,” she said.
“I think they’re not used to people fighting back, and this homeowner fought back.”
Trusler said there was “no rhyme or reasoning in any” of how the incident played out.
“They’re meant to be safe and they’re woken up and they’re treated like this.
”This has got to stop.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident, has CCTV/dashcam footage or any information that could assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online.