Thirteen teens have escaped from Victoria's troubled Malmsbury Youth Justice centre, stealing cars, ramming other vehicles and prompting police pursuits.
Police confirmed that the teens escaped the Malmsbury facility on Wednesday and have urged the public to stay away from the area.
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RAW: Police are investigating the escape of inmates from the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre. Several inmates have climbed onto a roof while other inmates have stolen a vehicle still on the move. Vision courtesy Seven News Melbourne.
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Teens escape Malmsbury detention centre
RAW: Police are investigating the escape of inmates from the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre. Several inmates have climbed onto a roof while other inmates have stolen a vehicle still on the move. Vision courtesy Seven News Melbourne.
Do you know more? Did you see the car chase? Email scoop@theage.com.au.
Several terrified staff have been locked inside the facility for their own protection, as police dressed in full riot gear and members of the Youth Justice Safety Emergency Response Team attempt to regain control.
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A police car was rammed during the escape, according to media reports.
There were 13 youths who initially escaped by stealing a ute and ramming a fence at the detention centre.
The Malmsbury escapees reportedly smashed into a civilian car on the Calder Freeway.
Police described the young driver as being "out of control" at high speed, according to Seven News.
Photo: Catherine Chisholm
The escapees reportedly dumped the ute, then carjacked two cars.
There were separate pursuits under way at speeds of up to 150km/h, according to Seven reporter Paul Dowsley.
LATEST | It's believed one of the police pursuits of the Malmsbury escapees has been called off https://t.co/POc9EyvYXE pic.twitter.com/0fZk0Kgl6E
— 3AW Melbourne (@3AW693) January 25, 2017
One car is believed to be travelling towards Melbourne while another is heading to Bendigo.
Police reportedly abandoned one high-speed pursuit after an allegedly stolen car started driving on the wrong side of the road on the Calder.
It has now reportedly driven back on to the right side of the road, heading south.
It is believed police no longer know the location of the two car-jacked vehicles.
There are reports that one staff member at Malmsbury has been injured during the riot.
Teenagers from the Monash and Latrobe units were involved.
The original stolen ute has been found abandoned.
Seven youths are still at large.
Six escaped youths were recaptured and there were five who stayed on the roof, but they later agreed to come down, according to reports.
MALMSBURY RIOT: News chopper pics show youths on the roof of the centre. More to come. #9News pic.twitter.com/s12hxM1HV2
— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) January 25, 2017
13 youths escaped from #Malmsbury; 7 still on the run in 2 stolen cars hijacked on Calder; 6 recaptured; 5 still on roof @7NewsMelbourne
— Dean Felton (@DeanFelton7) January 25, 2017
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said officers were at the scene.
"Police are at a correctional facility in Malmsbury following the escape of a number of inmates and the theft of a vehicle about 2.45pm today," a police spokeswoman said. "Further updates will be provided once information comes to hand."
#BREAKING Police car rammed during escape at Malmsbury. #7newsmelb
— Paul Dowsley (@pauldowsley7) January 25, 2017
A Department of Health and Human Services spokesman said: "Victoria Police have been called to an incident involving a number of young people at the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre. Our priority is to resolve this incident as soon as possible."
Opposition spokeswoman for families and children Georgie Crozier said she understood a number of inmates had escaped from secure units.
Breaking news: Malmsbury. 13 youth escaped. 6 apprehended. Two cars hijacked off Calder. Another car abandoned. #7NewsMelb
— Brendan Donohoe (@BrendanDonohoe7) January 25, 2017
The latest events come less than two weeks since police were forced to storm the centre after six inmates armed themselves in a secure unit. Four of those offenders have since been remanded into the adult prison system.
On Wednesday, Fairfax Media revealed that the Andrews government was warned in an explosive secret report months before the latest riots in Victoria's youth prisons that the system was spiralling out of control in "a continued and ongoing threat to the safety of staff and clients".
Fairfax Media can also reveal that the man who ran the Parkville and Malmsbury youth justice facilities, Ian Lanyon, has recently been moved from his post, leaving an acting director in his place.
Fairfax was unable to reach him for comment.
with AAP