Alice Springs police investigate Larapinta break-in, 63yo woman targeted

A 63-year-old woman was threatened with a hammer when she was threatened in her own home, police say. LATEST.

Northern Territory Police and St John Ambulance service responding to an incident in Alice Springs. Picture: Gera Kazakov generic, NT Police

September 23: A 63-year-old woman was threatened with a hammer when she was threatened in her own home.

Southern Watch Commander Jared Thompson said the unknown offender entered the Larapinta residence about 8.15pm on Sunday.

NT Police in a statement said the alleged offender tried to strike the woman with the hammer, before fleeing with her purse and house keys.

“IT is believed another unknown male was outside the residence during the incident,” An NT Police spokesperson said.

The woman was uninjured in the incident.

He said the forensics team had been deployed to the woman’s house and the matter was under investigation.

Arrest after stolen vehicle used in CBD joyride

Sunday, September 22: Alice Springs police have arrested a man and are seeking several other suspects after a late-model Ford Ranger utility was stolen from a business in the town on Saturday.

Watch Commander on duty, senior sergeant Andrew Dunne, said that about 10pm unknown offenders entered a business at Smith Street, Ciccone and found a set of keys belonging to the 2024 model ute after rummaging through the office drawers.

The perpetrators found the vehicle in the business’ compound and left the premises by ramming the ute through locked double gates securing the property.

Sen Sgt Dunne said the Ford was fitted with vehicle tracking technology and police received location updates every two to three minutes.

He said the Ford was seen dropping off a passenger at South Terrace near Tom Brown roundabout and members from Strike Force Viper arrested the male after a short foot chase.

CCTV vision showed the stolen vehicle being driven through the town’s CBD with several youths hanging outside the vehicle and was then spotted doing donuts on the Alice Springs Town Council lawns before departing East Side.

Sen Sgt Dunne said tyre deflation devices were deployed at the town’s three causeways and the unoccupied vehicle was later located on Spearwood Road in Eastside.

It was taken to the police vehicle compound, where forensic examination was expected to take place on Sunday morning.

Officers from Strike Force Viper are expected to review CCTV footage of the incident in the hope of identifying the offenders.

An 18-year-old male is expected to be charged with drive, use or ride a motor vehicle without consent and will appear in court at a later date.

Saturday, September 21: An Alice Springs church bus was used to ram the gates and lead cops on a wild chase before getting bogged in a nearby creek, police have alleged.

Southern Watch Commander Andrew Dunne said a group of unknown thieves broke into an Alice Springs church at about 1.40am on Saturday morning.

Sergeant Dunn alleged that the group broke into the Stuart Highway church and found a set of keys for the church's Toyota HiAce bus.

“They’ve stolen that bus which was parked in the carpark,” he said.

Sergeant Dunne said to make their escape in the stolen bus, the group rammed the double locked gates “causing significant damage”.

He said police later spotted the bus on a dirt road heading south to Charles Creek camp.

“The offenders drove into a river bed, near Charles Creek, causing that stolen motor vehicle to become bogged,” Sergeant Dunne said.

Sergeant Dunne said three suspected teenagers were spotted running from the bogged bus, with police catching an 11-year-old, who was taken into custody before being dropped at a home with a responsible adult.

He said the bus was taken back to the police compound for forensic testing and analysis, with investigations trying to identify the other two people involved.

“We have no idea the ages of the other two offenders,” Sergeant Dunne said

He said with the exception of a “few little disturbances after the closing of the nightclubs” it had been a “really good night” for Alice cops.

“Nothing out of the ordinary for a Friday night in Alice or Darwin,” he said.

Joy ride: Car stolen in brazen act while carers, residents inside home

Friday, September 20: A stolen car has been found abandoned after it was stolen from a disability care facility and taken for a joy ride through Alice Springs.

Southern Watch Commander Andrew Dunne on Friday morning said a group of unknown offenders entered the building through a sliding door and found a set of car keys on a book shelf about 8pm on Thursday.

Sergeant Dunne said there were two workers and four residents inside the building at the time, though no one was injured or confronted.

He said the group took the car keys and fled the scene in a vehicle, ramming the locked front gates on the way out.

Sergeant Dunne said the gate was left with “significant damage”.

He said the vehicle was spotted driving throughout Alice Springs via CCTV throughout the night but was recovered about 1am on Friday.

Police believe the vehicle – which has been seized for forensic evaluations – was abandoned due to the extensive damage it had suffered.

He said Strike Force Viper was investigating and working to identify the offenders.

In a separate incident, Sergeant Dunne said two wheelie bins had been “deliberately” set on fire outside The Rock Bar on Todd St.

He said police and fire services attended the incident about 4.20am Friday.

Sergeant Dunne said the blaze was extinguished and there was no damage to the business.

He said investigations continued to identify the offenders.

Originally published as Alice Springs police investigate Larapinta break-in, 63yo woman targeted