Albert Park teen arrested by Operation Mandrake officers following weekend break-in spree

One teen has been arrested after a crime spree across Adelaide including a series of break-ins and car thefts in the eastern suburbs.

An Albert Park teen has been arrested as part of Operation Mandrake following a spate of break-ins and major thefts around Adelaide.

A group first broke into a Maria St, Findon home about 2.30am on Saturday, getting in through the garage door while the occupants were at home.

The suspects allegedly stole a wallet, a brown Ford Focus and its keys.

The following night, Arcoona Ave, Rostrevor residents were woken when an unknown person tried to break into a vehicle parked in their driveway about 2.15am on Sunday.

“The suspect and other unknown people fled in a Honda Civic and a brown Ford sedan, believed to be the vehicle stolen from Findon the night before,” police said.

Around the same time, occupants of a Buchanan Drive home at Woodforde woke to find someone trying to break into their house before the suspect fled on foot.

Police made inquiries and found a neighbouring property had also been broken into and a grey Hyundai sedan had been stolen. It was later found nearby.

Less than an hour later, an unknown person tried to break into a Skye property through the front door.

When the suspect couldn’t get into the Knox Tce property, he broke into the victim’s vehicle in the driveway and “stole property before running away”, police said.

A teen has been arrested following a series of break-ins around Adelaide.

Police were then called Caloroga St, Wattle Park at 3.20am following reports of people trying door handles on cars to gain entry.

“As patrols arrived in the area, a grey Honda Civic sedan was seen travelling towards police at speed in company with the stolen brown Ford Focus,” police said.

“Police conducted a short pursuit of the vehicles west along Kensington Rd. The Honda was seen to turn right into East St, Kensington Gardens, however police-maintained pursuit of the stolen Ford which continued on Kensington Rd, before turning into May Tce, and then last seen in Park Rd where police terminated for safety reasons.

“Police conducted inquiries at the Honda’s registered owners address in Hambledon Rd, Campbelltown, and identified that whilst the occupants were asleep, someone had broken into their house and stole a wallet and a set of keys to the car, before making off in the Honda.”

Detectives, including from the Operation Mandrake task force targeting youth crime, attended an Albert Park address about 7pm on Sunday and found several items stolen during the crime spree.

They arrested a 16-year-old Albert Park boy and charged him with two counts of aggravated serious criminal trespass, two counts of illegal use of a motor vehicle, three counts of theft, one count of unlawfully being on premises and one count of breach of bail.

He was refused bail and was expected to appear in the Adelaide Youth Court on Monday.

The stolen Honda was found on Grace St in Albert Park but the Ford Focus is yet to be found.

Anyone with information, including on the whereabouts of the stolen Ford Focus with a South Australian registration S403AYX, is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.