Popular Australian comedy group Sooshi Mango has issued a direct plea to the Victorian government to address rising crime, following an alleged break-in at their Melbourne office. The incident has ignited a fresh debate about community safety and legal penalties in the state.
Comedians' Workplace Targeted in Carlton
The comedians, brothers Carlo and Joe Salanitri and Andrew Manfre, reported that a man forced entry into their workplace on Drummond Street in Carlton at approximately 7:00 pm on Sunday. The intruder damaged the door to gain access. The trio shared CCTV footage of the reported incident with their millions of social media followers on Monday morning, hoping to identify the person responsible.
Carlo Salanitri told reporters that while their platform allowed them to publicise the crime widely, many small businesses lack that same reach. "We just thought we’d do our part to get this guy off the streets however we thought we could," he said. Victoria Police confirmed the investigation is ongoing and noted it is unclear if anything was stolen, a point Carlo wryly addressed: "We’re Italians, we don’t hide our cash anywhere that’s obvious."
A Call for Stricter Laws and Harsher Penalties
In a video message, the comedy group delivered a pointed critique of the current climate. They argued that "these rats think they can go around stealing ... and get away with it" and suggested that "perhaps if Victoria had stricter laws these filthy rotten leaches wouldn’t have the confidence to go around breaking into places in broad daylight."
Joe Salanitri stated that people are "feeling a bit unsafe" and that legislation needed strengthening "so people are scared to (commit these crimes)." Andrew Manfre added that the group was "a little disturbed" and welcomed harsher penalties, concluding that crime is "obviously out of control."
Political Response and Broader Crime Context
The call from Sooshi Mango comes amid ongoing public concern about crime in Victoria. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said in October that Melbourne had gone from the "most livable city" to the "crime capital of Australia." Recent crime statistics have painted a sobering picture for the state in 2025.
In response, Victorian Deputy Premier Ben Carroll defended the government's actions, stating the state was investing in police and had enacted bail and knife crime reforms. "We want to have a zero-tolerance approach to crime," Carroll said, while acknowledging, "We always know we’ve got more work to do and we won’t stop until all Victorians feel safe and know they’re safe as well."
Sooshi Mango, who found fame through viral videos about Italian-Australian family life, have now found themselves at the centre of a major political and social issue. No arrests have been made and police continue to investigate. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
