Newport: Balaclava wearing teen gang terrorising residents with mindless ‘egging’ spree

‘Privileged little white boys’ wearing balaclavas and black clothes are harassing residents with ‘egging’ attacks on the northern beaches. See what is being done about it.

Teenagers wearing balaclavas or hoodies pulled over their faces have been harassing locals by “egging” houses and cars around Newport for months.

Distressed and frustrated residents have resorted to putting videos and photos on social media in an effort to identify the brazen vandals, aged as young as 15.

Some households, in an area between Newport Public School in Stuart St and The Newport hotel in Kalinya Av, have been targeted three times.

The egg throwing antics are getting so bad that Northern Beaches Police are investigating the attacks on homes, which have included throwing stones at windows and roofs.

A youth, photographed by a resident, climbing onto the roof of Newport Public School, after he allegedly threw eggs at nearby homes. Picture: Supplied (Facebook)

Mayor Michael Regan has confirmed that the eggings will be discussed with the Northern Beaches Police commander, Superintendent Pat Sharkey, at the next meeting of the council’s Community Safety Committee.

One woman, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, told the Manly Daily on Monday, that a group of boys, dressed in black and wearing what she described as balaclavas, and aged about 15 to 16, attacked her home with eggs twice in one evening.

“We were at home and heard the sound of eggs on our windows,” the householder said.

“They threw the eggs and ran away and then came back an hour later with more eggs.

“We chased them away when they came back so they didn’t get to do it again.

“They dropped the carton of eggs while they were running.”

A youth, filmed by a resident, walking in Newport with a hoodie pulled over his face, after he allegedly threw eggs at nearby homes. Picture: Supplied (Facebook)

The householder said the police cannot charge them unless the egg causes damage.

“And the boys have now started to wear balaclavas so very hard for them to be identified,” the frustrated householder said.

“At the end of the day they are minors so all they get is a talking to.

“Pretty frustrating.

“It’s been happening to people in Newport for months now and it needs to stop.”

Another householder posted on Facebook that a group of boys has been “roaming around Newport in dark hoodies are causing utter chaos”.

A youth, filmed by a resident, walking in Newport wit a hoodies pulled over his face, after he allegedly threw eggs at nearby homes. Picture: Supplied (Facebook)

The woman revealed that her family home “has been egged on a number of occasions now – and we are over it”.

“The anti-social behaviour is appalling,” she said.

“They are in a group of about six and roaming around Newport, between the school and The Newport.

“It’s not just a case of ‘naw, they’re just kids having fun’ … they are causing damage to our property and most likely others.

“I spent all of last weekend trying to remove the egg from our roof, windows and weatherboards.

“I’m too scared to grab one, I could have grabbed this kid tonight but I don’t want to end up stabbed.

“These privileged little white boys need to be held accountable – if it doesn’t get pulled in now, it will only escalate.”

Another resident reported boys knocking on front doors at midnight and running away.

“They are throwing eggs on houses and stones at windows, shouting and swearing in the street.”

A householder in Newport found this carton of eggs in her street after she, and other family members, chased off a group of boys wearing black clothes and balaclavas, who had targeted her home with eggs, twice in one evening. Picture: Supplied

Cr Regan said the actions of the balaclava-wearing teens had “spooked” residents in Newport and the council was talking with police to check if it was occurring in other parts of the northern beaches.

“It’s not on,” he said. “And the mess it leaves is more than a nuisance.”

Police said that on occasion, officers from Northern Beaches Police Area Command receive reports of incidents known as “egging”.

“While these reports are infrequent, officers were notified of an incident at Collaroy at the weekend, however, no offenders have been identified at this time,” a spokeswoman said.

The public is urged to report crime to Northern Beaches Police Area Command (Dee Why police station – 9971 3399) or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.