Byng St, Orange: 11yo boy charged with robbery, two others to be dealt under Young Offenders Act

An 11-year-old boy has been charged with robbery in the state’s central west, as police turn to go-karts in the latest bid to tackle youth crime.

Byng Street in Orange. Picture: Dylan Robinson

An 11-year-old boy has been charged with robbery as NSW Police turn to go-karts in the latest bid to tackle a youth crime wave in regional areas.

Two other boys are set to be dealt with under the Young Offenders Act following an incident in the state’s central west.

Police revealed on Thursday they had been called to Byng St in Orange - the same street as the local police station - following reports of a robbery just after 6pm on Tuesday.

On arrival, Central West Police District officers spoke to a 15-year-old boy with minor injuries.

Following initial inquiries, officers attended two addresses in Orange to speak with boys aged 11 and 13.

Orange Police Station on Byng Street, NSW. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Those two boys were not arrested and police said they would be dealt with under the Young Offenders Act.

However, following further inquiries, police arrested a different 11-year-old boy in Orange about 2pm on Wednesday.

He was taken to Orange Police Station, where he was charged with robbery in company.

He was granted conditional bail to appear at a children’s court on July 11.

The Daily Telegraph previously reported children as young as 10 were breaking into homes to steal cars in the state’s central west as a youth crime wave gripped areas that included Dubbo and Orange.

Police sources previously told said kids were becoming so confident of getting away with offences, some had dubbed committing crime “doing Doli”.

The phrase is a reference to doli incapax, a legal principle that presumes children aged between 10 and 14 are incapable of forming criminal intent.

“We are continually charging 13-year-olds with offences like robbery and wounding, but they are being acquitted due to the court not accepting that they knew what they’re doing was wrong,” a NSW Police source said.

On Wednesday, NSW Police revealed officers from the Orana Mid-Western Police District had even turned to a weekly go-karting program in the hope of diverting children away from the criminal justice system, with kids nominated by their schools to participate.

The state government has also attempted to tackle the issue, recently introducing new legislation that adds two years to the maximum jail term for offenders who “post and boast” about motor vehicle theft and break and enter offences.

Additionally, the government has introduced legislation amending the Bail Act to include a temporary test for people between the ages of 14 and 18 who are charged with break and enter offences or vehicle thefts while already on bail.