Alice Springs crime: Police arrest man, two more at large following sexual assault

Man arrested and two more people at large following an alleged break-in and sexual assault in Alice Springs on Saturday night.

Northern Territory Police in Alice Springs. Picture: Gera Kazakov

Welcome to the NT News’ weekly Alice Springs and Central rolling police, crime, traffic, fire and breaking news blog. Keep up with the latest across news from Alice Springs right up to the Barkly.

December 8, 10am: A 22-year-old man was arrested and two more people remain at large following an alleged break-in and sexual assault in Alice Springs on Saturday night.

The alleged sexual assault occurred in Eastside about 10.17pm when a 29-year-old woman was woken up by a man sexually assaulting her, NT Police said in a statement.

The woman’s cry for help alerted other residents of the home, forcing the alleged offender to flee in a vehicle.

NT Police responded to the call and established a crime scene.

Soon after police stopped the vehicle on Gap Rd and pursued the alleged offender on foot.

The man was arrested on Traeger Avenue at 10.39pm.

He remains in custody with charges expected to be laid on Sunday.

Two other people exited the vehicle at the time of the arrest.

Police are still searching for these two individuals.

December 8, 10am: NT Police were targeted with rocks and stolen vehicles in Alice Springs central business district (CBD) early on Sunday morning.

The three vehicles were allegedly stolen from a residence in the suburb of Ross about 12.35am on Sunday.

NT Police said three to five young people entered the residence and stole a blue Ford Ranger, a grey Nissan Qashqai and a grey Toyota Camry.

The vehicles were then driven into the Alice Springs CBD where the alleged offenders are reported to have attempted to ram police vehicles and thrown rocks at officers.

Two of the vehicles were allegedly driven at a police officer deploying a tyre deflation tool, forcing the officer to take cover behind his vehicle, NT Police said.

All three stolen vehicles managed to escape the CBD and were last seen heading south of the Gap.

Seven teens involved in two unrelated Alice Springs burglaries: Police

December 6, 12.30pm: Three 13-year-old girls have been arrested and four boys remain at large after two unrelated burglaries in Alice Springs.

On Thursday afternoon at Bokhara St, Larapinta, the three girls allegedly targeted a 61-year-old woman, police said.

Police allege the two of the trio threatened the woman in the driveway to her home, demanding her vehicle keys and handbag, which the older woman refused.

One of the youths was allegedly armed with a blunt object, police said.

After the two youths fled, the third youth then attempted to gain entry to the woman’s home by allegedly breaking a window, police said.

No items were stolen, police said, and they were arrested after a “short pursuit”.

The three girls appeared in court on Friday.

Anyone with information relating to the incident is urged to contact police on 131 444 and quote reference P24337776.

In an unrelated incident, about 4am Friday at Ross, four male youths allegedly forced a man back inside his Ragonesi Rd home demanding money.

“Three of the offenders allegedly threatened him with a edged weapon and attempted to force him into the vehicle while stealing items,” police said.

Police allege the youths arrived at the home in a Toyota Camry that was stolen from a home in Mount Johns on Wednesday.

When police arrived at Ragonesi Rd, the youths allegedly fled, leaving the stolen Camry behind, police said.

Police are still looking for the four suspects, and anyone with any information on what happened is urged to contact police and quote reference P24338674.

Anonymous reports about either of the unrelated incidents can be made to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online. 

Man allegedly enters Alice Springs home, tries to abduct child

December 5, 5pm: A man has fronted the Alice Springs Local Court accused of allegedly trying to abduct a child from a residence.

Police said they arrested man on Wednesday after he allegedly tried to abduct a child in Araluen about 7am.

The man allegedly entered a home to attempt the alleged abduction, police said, but nearby residents were alerted by the child.

The man fled, according to police, but was arrested a short time later.

He fronted Alice Springs Local Court on Thursday, charged with abducting a child under 16 years old, aggravated burglary, aggravated assault, and theft.

Southern Domestic Violence and Youth Command Acting Commander Megan Blackwell said the child was uninjured.

Police are calling for more information on the alleged abduction, and anyone with more information is urged to contact police on 131 444, quoting reference NTP2400122872.

Any witnesses who may have seen a shirtless adult male with dreadlocks and black pants in that area of Blain Street, Araluen in the early hours of Wednesday morning are urged to reach out.

Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online. 

Police search for white 4WD, black sedan in connection to Red Centre ram raid

December 5, 3pm: A convenience store in Alice Springs has suffered “extensive damage” in a ram raid, Northern Territory police say, as they appeal for information to help them in the investigation.

Police said the store, on Hearne Place in Braitling, was hit at about 4.30am on Thursday morning by a white four-wheel-drive.

Three people were allegedly in the car, police said.

“The offenders have allegedly rammed through the garage door and stolen a box of unknown items, before fleeing the area in the 4WD and a nearby black sedan that was waiting nearby,” police said.

Police are investigating but are yet to locate the offenders, or the white four-wheel-drive or the black sedan.

Anyone with information – such as dashcam or CCTV footage – is urged to contact police on 131 444 and quote reference P24337506.

Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.

Multiple vehicles stolen in night of crime

December 4, 8am: Three burglaries were reported in Alice Springs overnight, with four vehicles stolen and no residents harmed.

Southern Watch Commander Alastair Gall said the first incident occurred about midnight on Nelson Tce, Araluen.

Mr Gall said the alleged offenders smashed a window at the rear of the property and found the keys for a white VE Holden Commodore and stole the vehicle.

The vehicle has not yet been recovered as at 8am Wednesday.

About 2am on Tietkens Ave in Braitling there was another forced entry through the living room window of a property, police said.

There, a blue Toyota Camry was stolen and is also yet to be recovered.

Mr Gall reported another burglary about 3am on Giles St in Eastside.

Police allege the group gained entry through an unlocked door and stole two vehicles – a Toyota Troop Carrier and a silver RAV4.

Both these vehicles were later found abandoned in Sadadeen, police said.

Man attacked, windows smashed in alleged Alice crime series

December 3, 12pm: NT Police have arrested a man and are hunting down several others in relation to an alleged series of crimes in Alice Springs in which rocks were pelted at multiple homes.

Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received multiple reports of a group of offenders allegedly throwing rocks at properties on Giles St in Sturt and Lindsay Ave in East Side.

Police allege the offenders damaged several windows and demanded entry into homes before they fled the area on foot.

They then confronted a man on Sturt Tce and demanded his keys, before allegedly assaulting him with a stick.

The victim suffered minor injuries and did not require medical treatment.

General duties members arrested a 22-year-old man nearby after a short foot chase and charged him with damage to property.

Police said anyone with information, including dashcam or CCTV footage, should make contact on 131 444 and quote reference P24335154.

Woman threatened, car stolen from home in Alice Springs

December 3, 12pm: A 61-year-old woman has been allegedly assaulted multiple times with a “blunt weapon” in her Alice Springs home, before her car was allegedly stolen, police say.

Police said they’re searching for two youths – a boy and a girl – who they allege broke into the older lady’s home in Larapinta early Wednesday morning.

Police said the duo allegedly broke in at 12.40am to the Patterson Cres home.

Once said, police allege the female threatened the lady with an “edged weapon” and demanded her keys.

The male intruder allegedly “assaulted the victim multiple times with a blunt weapon resulting in injuries to her arm and shoulder,” police said.

The elderly woman’s keys were stolen by the duo, police allege, and they took the woman’s red Mazda 3.

The car, and the two youths, remain outstanding, police said, and urging anyone with information to get in touch.

Anyone with information, including dashcam or CCTV footage, should contact police on 131 444 and quote reference NTP2400122379.

Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.

Youths allegedly steal car from police compound in Alice Springs

December 2, 2pm: Alice Springs police are searching for a trio of youths, who they allege rammed their way out of a police compound in the town with a car they stole from it.

Northern Territory police said they were alerted the youths had allegedly stolen a seized white Isuzu D-Max from a police compound on the Stuart Hwy in Alice Springs about 6.20pm on Saturday.

The youths allegedly tried to ram their way out of the compound in the ute, police said, “causing substantial damage”.

“The offenders subsequently drove through a fence adjoining a neighbouring business to flee the area,” police said.

The youths allegedly headed north in the vehicle, with general duties, Strike Force Viper, Operation Ludlow, police supervisors, and dog operations units dispatched to search for them.

Police said the vehicle was then sighted at 11.45pm in the Alice Springs CBD driving dangerously.

“The occupants allegedly swerved towards a police car and threw rocks at it, resulting in minor damage,” police said.

“A short time later they reportedly threw rocks at an additional police car. No police members were injured as a result of these incidents.”

The vehicle was later found abandoned south of Alice Springs suburb The Gap.

Police said investigations were ongoing and the three youths remained outstanding.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444, quoting reference P24332948.

Anonymous reports can be made via Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or online.

Originally published as Alice Springs crime: Police arrest man, two more at large following sexual assault