West Kempsey: Teen arrested after backyard chase, charged with property offences including Woolgoolga shopkeeper assault

A teenager has allegedly taken police on a foot chase through numerous backyards before being charged with a long list of offences, including an assault on a shopkeeper during a robbery more than 130km away.

A woman, 47, was rushed to hospital for treatment after suffering lacerations during an alleged robbery at a business on River St at Woolgoolga. Picture: Google Maps.

A teenager has allegedly taken police on a dramatic foot chase through numerous Mid-North Coast backyards before being charged with a long list of offences, including the assault on a shopkeeper more than 130km away.

The 18-year-old is alleged to have jumped from an open window and sprinted off as officers arrived at a West Kempsey home on Sunday following an investigation into property and traffic offences they believed were linked across a wide section of the Mid-North Coast and Coffs Coast since January.

It included the alleged assault of a 47-year-old woman inside a business at Woolgoolga – about 130km north of West Kempsey – on February 11.

Police allege three businesses on River St were broken into about 4.20am before the woman was bashed.

She was rushed to hospital and treated for lacerations.

The teen was arrested after an alleged foot chase through multiple backyards on Gordon Nixon Ave at West Kempsey. Picture: Google Maps.

Police said they were also investigating offences allegedly committed in the Coffs Harbour area between February 4 and February 7, including a stolen car and a subsequent police pursuit.

The investigation led officers to a property on Gordon Nixon Ave at West Kempsey on Sunday afternoon.

The teenager was arrested and later charged with 28 offences. (File picture)

“Upon the arrival of police, a man allegedly jumped from a window of the home and was chased by officers across several neighbouring backyards,” police said in a statement.

“An 18-year-old man was arrested a short time later before being taken to Kempsey Police Station.”

The teenager was later charged with 28 offences including four counts of aggravated break and enter dwelling etc in company, three counts of drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous, three counts of driving a Class A motor vehicle exceed speed greater than 45km/h, two counts of being carried in a stolen car, two counts of aggravated break and enter in company with intent to steal, two counts of robbery armed with an offensive weapon and two counts of attempted aggravated break and enter in company with intent to steal.

He was also charged with robbery in company causing wounding or grievous bodily harm and a list of other traffic, intimidation and hindering police charges.

The teen was refused bail to appear before a children’s court on Monday where he was formally refused bail to appear before a children’s court on April 9.

Originally published as West Kempsey: Teen arrested after backyard chase, charged with property offences including Woolgoolga shopkeeper assault