Northern Territory Police have arrested six youths following a spate of property crimes and stolen vehicles in Alice Springs at the weekend.
Three youth ages 15, 15 and 14 were arrested fleeing a stolen motor vehicle 25km north of Alice Springs on the North Stuart Highway on Saturday.
Members from the Southern Traffic Unit, Drone Operations, K9 Unit, general duties and Strike Force Viper coordinated a plan to stop the stolen motor vehicle after receiving a report of a fuel drive off from Barrow Creek that afternoon.
The vehicle was stopped after the successful deployment of a tyre deflation device and the three occupants fled into nearby scrubland.
Two males aged 15 and 14-years-old were arrested following a foot pursuit involving Police Patrol Dog Fitzy and the third 15-year-old male evaded police until he was located and arrested in the area an hour later.
Drone footage captured two youths throwing rocks at Patrol Dog Fitzy during the incident.
A second stolen motor vehicle was located on its side and abandoned 150 metres from the Ali Curung Community turn off on Saturday.
Two 17 year old males wanted to relation to a series of unlawful entries in the Braitling Industrial area earlier today, were arrested by members from Strike Force Viper and general duties this morning.
A third male wanted in relation to a series of property offences, including the Industrial area unlawful entries, was arrested this afternoon
Superintendent Tony Deutrom said it was a trying weekend for police, who responded 340 reported incidents throughout a 72 hour period.
“It was a bad weekend with a lot of people either coming home or waking up to their home being unlawfully entered, and their property stolen”.
“It is without a doubt one of the more gut-wrenching feelings to find out you’ve been broken into, and to those victims I am sorry that you’ve experienced that.
“Police continue to work hard to maintain a sense of safety within our community, and this weekend was no different,” said Supt Deutrom
Investigations are ongoing into the 16 unlawful entries, three attempted unlawful entries and eight stolen motor vehicles – all of which have been recovered, which occurred during the weekend.
