NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb’s ‘call to arms’ to stop youth crime

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb is calling on courts and other agencies to help break the cycle of teens running amok through the night: breaking into homes and stealing cars time and time again.

A group of teen thugs who allegedly invade Sydney homes in the middle of the night, steal cars and speed across the city time and time again have raised the ire of the state’s top cop, who has called for courts and other agencies to join the fight to break the crime cycle.

Police Commissioner Karen Webb is particularly frustrated this week by the alleged actions of the three 18-year-olds and a 15-year-old who have a combined rap sheet of more than 800 encounters with police and 80 charges.

And despite all available information about their criminal history being put before the court, three of the four teens were granted bail on an array of fresh charges. The fourth, who was already on bail at the time of the alleged overnight crime spree, had his bail revoked.

Ms Webb told The Sunday Telegraph this was a “call to arms” because police can’t “arrest their way out” of the youth crime wave damaging ­communities.

This most recent incident, on Tuesday night, was a snapshot of what her officers across Sydney and NSW from the northern beaches to the outer western suburbs and inland across regional NSW are facing every single night.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has issued a call to arms to tackle youth crime. Picture: Rohan Kelly

The four teens allegedly broke into a home in Linley Point on the north shore, stealing a Versace bag containing more than $1000 and then took the family’s 2023 AMG Mercedes on a joy ride across the city.

When police spotted the car 20 minutes later they refused to stop. The officers began to chase them, the dog squad and PolAir were called in and the four teens allegedly ditched the car and fled on foot before they were finally arrested.

Strike Force Sweetenham detectives work to catch teens stealing cars across the city.

Three of the teens appeared before a Sydney court and were granted strict conditional bail – despite one having a record of 38 charges and 242 events recorded of his interaction with police.

The second had 406 events recorded and 18 charges and was subject to a firearm prohibition order.

The third had 193 events recorded and 23 charges laid against him.

In the Children’s Court, the fourth was refused bail; he was already on bail at the time of the alleged offences.

Police released chilling CCTV footage of armed thieves breaking into homes in Sydney as they appealed for assistance.

With the incident fresh in her mind — a stark reminder of what her troops are facing every single day in suburbs across Sydney — the Commissioner addressed her 200 most senior officers at a commanders’ forum in Goulburn two days later.

She revealed she told her commanders that she was becoming increasingly frustrated that “these young men and so many others are being given so many chances time and time again and haven’t used those opportunities to change their behaviour”.

“Instead they are putting community members at huge risk of danger in their own homes, in what should be their castles,” she said.

“My great concern is about the risk to the community and to the police.

“And there is the added frustration that these youths who we see over and over, despite charging them time and again, allegedly continue breaking into people’s homes, often when they are asleep.

“Or you have the added risk that the people in the home wake and confront the intruders and things turn nasty.”

“This frustrates me and I told my commanders this is an ongoing key concern for 2025. People should feel safe in their homes.”

“These teenagers have had multiple chances and nothing changes, we are continually dealing with the same people.

“In 2025 it’s my priority that we have to keep trying to prevent and disrupt youth crime.”

Police released images of a man who may be able to assist officers as investigations continue into five alleged break and enters in Sydney’s northwest in October.

Commissioner Webb said police would continue to use every means available to them to keep fighting to break the cycle.

“We can’t do this alone. We need courts and other agencies. This is really a call to arms for everyone to play their role.

“We need to find a way to get through to these young people that this is not a game, and real lives are at risk, from the people’s homes they are entering, the police officers forced to track and chase them, to their own.

“This needs to stop.”

According to statistics from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, there were increased legal actions against juveniles from the 2022 to 2023 financial year to the 2023 to 2024 for serious offences.

Robbery legal actions were up 18 per cent with 100 recorded, break and enter dwelling up 14.6 per cent to 147 and motor vehicle theft up 7.4 per cent to 83 incidents.

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