Three teens to stay behind bars after alleged overnight crime spree: Court heard one youth was out on bail to attend a funeral

One youth allegedly involved in a wild overnight crime series was granted bail to attend a funeral, before “throwing it back in the court’s face” to join the spree, a court has heard.

A youth allegedly involved in an overnight crime series was granted bail to attend his grandmother’s funeral before “throwing it back in the court’s face” and joining the wild spree, a court has heard.

A court has also heard another teen in the group of eight allegedly involved in the spree “cut off” his electronic monitoring device to join in on the escapades.

Three of the teens have been ordered to stay behind bars after they allegedly breached bail and were caught packed into a stolen Kia Sportage “like a clown car”.

A Youth Court magistrate said she had “no confidence” that two of the youths wouldn’t reoffend if granted bail.

A 15-year-old Mansfield Park boy, 14-year-old Northfield boy and 15-year-old Parafield Gardens boy all appeared in the Adelaide Youth Court on Thursday via video link before Magistrate Tracee Micallef, who denied the latter two’s applications for bail but ordered a curfew report for the other teen.

About 3.30am police located the Kia abandoned on the Salisbury Highway where it had crashed into a small wire fence. Picture: SA Police

“I know that I gave a very severe and significant warning about what the consequences would be if you breached your bail,” Ms Micallef said to the Parafield Gardens boy.

“I even acquiesced to not having electronic curfew monitoring in order to facilitate you attending your grandmother’s funeral.

“You’ve literally thrown that back in the court’s face by not only offending but offending in this serious manner.

“I can’t see that the court could have any confidence that you wouldn’t continue to commit offences.”

The three youths were allegedly involved with five other males who were all arrested after a crime spree across Adelaide.

Police were called to a home in Lightsview about 1.30am on Thursday after the occupant reported that her house had been broken into and her red Kia Sportage stolen.

Soon after, police received a report that a red Kia had just taken off with stolen petrol from a service station on Grange Rd, Flinders Park.

The group were eventually arrested at Dry Creek Railway Station about over two hours later.

SA Police Senior Constable Kate Dawson told ABC radio the eight arrested must have been packed into the medium-sized SUV “like a clown car” – with some of them possibly crammed in the boot.

About 3.30am police located the Kia abandoned on the Salisbury Highway where it had crashed into a small wire fence. Picture: SA Police

On Thursday, the Youth Court also heard that the 14-year-old Northfield boy removed his electronic monitor to take part in the alleged crime spree.

“What concerns me the most is the fact that you were placed on electronic monitoring and within a matter of two weeks you cut off the electronic monitor and made yourself unavailable with your whereabouts unknown,” Ms Micallef said.

“Not only that, but you committed further offending by either stealing a car or being involved in the driving of a car that was not your own. That driving was considerably dangerous.

“You seem to – despite me understanding the difficulties that you’ve had in your life to date – that you’re not able to understand or recognise the seriousness upon which you were granted bail in the first place.”

Both boys were denied bail and will next appear in May, while the Mansfield Park teen will appear next week.