Two boys have been charged over separate stabbings, one of which was allegedly a random attack on a woman in a shopping centre.
It follows the latest crime statistics which showed another increase in criminal activity across Victoria in 2025, with youth offenders fuelling the rise.
A 16-year-old boy, who allegedly stabbed a woman walking to work, was out on bail and has since been charged with theft, intentionally and recklessly cause injury, and possessing and assault with a weapon.
The woman was inside the M-City Shopping Centre in Melbourne's southeast about 7.50am on Thursday when she was allegedly stabbed by the boy in a random attack.
The 25-year-old Mount Waverley woman was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.
The boy, from the Stonnington area in Melbourne's inner southeast, fled the area but was arrested a short time later at a nearby medical centre.
He has been remanded in custody and will appear at a children's court at a later date.
Separately, police on Friday charged a 15-year-old teenager from the Hume area in Melbourne's north over a stabbing in February.
Two teens had allegedly approached a 17-year-old boy and slashed him with a machete in Mickleham in northern Melbourne on February 27 before running away.
The teen victim was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries and has since been discharged.
A 15-year-old handed himself in on Wednesday after police executed a search warrant within the Hume area on Tuesday.
He has since been charged with intentionally causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence, conduct endangering life, common law assault, and possessing, use and assault with a weapon.
The boy has been remanded to appear before a children's court at a later date.
Police believe the incident was targeted and are still searching for the second alleged offender.
The charges come as incidents of youth offending in Victoria increased by 2.3 per cent in 2025, according to crime statistics data.
Children committed 57.6 per cent of carjackings, 52.6 per cent of home invasions, 47.8 per cent of aggravated burglaries and 62.4 per cent of robberies.
Police arrested 1223 children a combined 6997 times, with an average of four youth gang members arrested everyday in 2025.
A record number of machetes and knives were also seized across that period.
Despite the increase in overall youth crime, Police Minister Anthony Carbines said there are signs targeted reforms are working.
Bail refusals and revocations increased at the Magistrates Court and Children's Court in 2025, which he said was evidence the laws are having an effect.
While overall crime is still trending upwards, police say growth is beginning to stabilise following years of sharp increases.
But a major reduction is unlikely in the near future, deputy commissioner regional operations Bob Hill said on Thursday.