City criminals
For one of the world's most livable cities, Melbourne certainly has a colourful criminal past.
Even today, the city's lanes and alleys tell the story of those who made history – for all the wrong reasons.
Discover why Squizzy Taylor was Australia's answer to the American gangster, who was the last man hanged in Australia, and how Chopper Read turned his crimes into a golden merchandising opportunity.
A brutal murder captured Melbourne's imagination and sparked intense public debate.
A key figure in Melbourne's violent underworld, Squizzy Taylor was Australia's answer to American gangsters.
In 1942, Melbourne's shadowy streets were the scene of three brutal stranglings.
Public opinion was divided on the execution of Ronald Ryan – the last man hanged in Australia.
In 1986, bombing at the Russell Street Police Headquarters forced Melbourne to face possible terrorism.
A sleepy Sunday evening turned sinister, as Melbourne faced the horror of a gunman on the loose.
With a brutal criminal past, Mark 'Chopper' Read has turned his jail sentence into a successful money-spinner.
Melbourne's Gangland War was a string of bloody killings that opened the city's eyes to a criminal underworld.
