By Rachael Ward  in Melbourne

Dozens of children as young as 12 have been arrested during a week-long blitz in a state plagued by youth crime.

Police allege 41 people in total were involved in a string of armed robberies, car thefts and aggravated burglaries across Melbourne’s east and southeast between December 27 and January 2.

Mostly youths were arrested and charged with 150 offences in the crackdown, with ages ranging from 12 to 44.

Police pull alleged offenders from a car and pin them to the road before they can scatter on foot following a dramatic highway pursuit in footage taken of one the arrests from the air.

Its rear wheel tyre-less and alight, moments earlier the vehicle slides wildly to a halt, jammed in with nowhere to go by four police cars.

Incidents involving children included an armed roadside robbery where males aged 15, 19, 20 and 23 allegedly threatened victims with a machete on December 30.

On New Year’s Eve, four boys aged 13 to 17 were involved in a pursuit across Melbourne’s southeast with officers using stopsticks to slow the car.

Boys aged 13, 14 and 15 were arrested over 15 separate service station armed robberies just before Christmas while four aged 15 to 17 allegedly threatened a rideshare driver on January 2.

Six people aged between 12 and 19 were arrested over an armed robbery in Blairgowrie in the early hours of New year’s Day, while seven youths ranging in age from 13 to 18 fled police in an allegedly stolen vehicle in December 27.

A group of 14- to 17-year-olds were charged with a home invasion, as were two 16-year-olds along with car thefts and multiple street robberies.

Victoria Police Acting Superintendent Andrew McKee said it was significant number of arrests in such a short time.

“A lot of these arrests have occurred under the cover of darkness,” he said.

“While you’re sleeping, police are wide-eyed with members on ground and in the sky – no hiding place is safe for offenders.

“Our message to offenders is clear: if you want to play hide and seek with us, I can guarantee you, our members will always find you.”

Crime statistics released in December showed crimes by children aged 10 to 17 have reached their highest levels in Victoria since 2009.

Teens aged 14 to 17 were responsible for the most child crime, totalling 20,753 incidents, with most first-time offenders in that age bracket.

Children aged 10 to 17 and those aged 18 to 24 account for almost half of all aggravated burglary offenders in Victoria.