Roma boys, aged 15 and 16, have been charged with a number of offences with a Magistrate remanding one in custody

A spike in burglaries has seen one Roma business devastated by the loss of $30,000 worth of products, and a stolen car flipped on its roof. Now two juveniles, aged 15 and 16, have been charged, with the magistrate ordering one be kept in police custody.

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A spike in break and enters across Roma has seen two boys charged with 30 offences, with a magistrate remanding one of the alleged offenders in custody.

The boys, aged 15 and 16 appeared in the Roma Children’s Court last week charged with a number of offences including unlawful use of a motor vehicle, burglary, enter premises and commit indictable offence, robbery, assault, obstructing police, dangerous driving, driving without a licence, stealing and break and enter.

The 15-year-old boy was charged with 16 of those offences and was remanded in custody and due to front court again on August 2.

The 16-year-old boy was released on bail and will reappear in court on the same date.

Roma police officer-in-charge Duane Frank said police investigations into other youth offenders are ongoing and it’s likely more charges will be laid.

This follows as a number of homes, schools and businesses were targeted by thieves, with one business losing $30,000 worth of cigarettes and tobacco.

Shop owners left their business about 7pm last Wednesday before returning the following morning to see the store in disarray and thousands of dollars in products stolen.

Earlier this month, thieves targeted a school on Mayne Street and smashed the window and stole an iPhone.

A few days later on July 19, a Nissan Patrol was recovered by police after being stolen from a Foott Street residence and found rolled onto its roof on Chappell Lane.

That same day, witnesses observed unknown offender/s travel in a small Maroon hatchback car along William Street before two iPads and an Apple watch were stolen from a residence.

The investigation is still ongoing.

A Marsden Court resident was awaoke by police notifying them their Toyota HiLux was stolen around midnight on July 21.

It was later recovered on Beaumont Drive.

The same night, the owner of a Toyota Landcruiser observed four offenders enter their unlocked vehicle on Taylor Street before walking off.

One offender returned and took off with the vehicle before picking up the other three offenders along the way.

Senior sergeant Frank said residents must get into a good habit of securing their keys and lock the doors of their homes and cars.

“It’s a reminder to residents that some of these offenders are taking advantage of unlocked vehicles and homes and stealing keys for cars,” he said.