Northern Territory Police arrest juvenile over alleged Palmerston crime spree

A 13-year-old boy faces multiple charges after an alleged crime spree in Palmerston where vehicles were set on fire and a purse was nabbed.

A 13-year-old boy is on multiple charges after he allegedly torched a car and a golf buggy at Palmerston over the weekend.

Police said the crime spree began around 11.30pm on Saturday when the boy allegedly stole a purse from a vehicle in Palmerston.

Around 1.15am, he was captured on CCTV riding a bike towards a golf buggy owned by a security company and parked at Palmerston Shopping Centre.

A fire was captured on CCTV before it engulfed the buggy in flames.

Two hours later the teenager was allegedly observed in the car park of another Palmerston shopping centre armed with an edged weapon.

It is alleged he poured accelerants over a Mitsubishi Lancer and set it alight.

The car was engulfed in flames, causing extensive damage and it is alleged the teenager watched as it burned.

Police officers and firefighters attended the scene where the boy was arrested.

He was found with two edged weapons as well as identification cards from the stolen purse.

He was charged by Strike Force Trident officers with two counts of arson, one count of possessing, carrying and using an uncontrolled weapon, once count of unlawful possession of property and one count of trespassing.

Strike Force Trident is responsible for trying to reduce youth crime.

Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Bland praised the work of CCTV operators.

“The CCTV operators continue to provide invaluable operational support to members, who in this case were able to effect an immediate arrest,” he said.

Originally published as Northern Territory Police arrest juvenile over alleged Palmerston crime spree