It’s personal: Country cops relentless hunt for kids who “post and boast” violent crimes

Police say boredom and lack of parental supervisions is at the root of a new wave of violent youth crime in regional areas as they urge Aboriginal elders and community groups to take greater responsibility.

There’s no “easy fix” to stopping kids in the bush “boasting and posting” violent crimes, but arming country cops with specialist resources is helping curb the dangerous behaviour.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that in the western region since the start of the year, home invasions have dropped by almost 30 percent, while the number of cars stolen from across the region dropped by 21 per cent.

The downturn is largely due to the ongoing, targeted assault known as Operation Mongoose, which draws in state crime officers, the air wing, dog squad, riot police and highway patrol.

But one of the state’s top cops, Assistant Commissioner Rod Smith says the troops on the ground working with local and state governments, community members and Aboriginal elders is an equally important and powerful approach - stopping a new wave of kids going down the wrong path.

Top of the list of troubled towns being boosted with extra resources are Moree, Tamworth, Dubbo, Orange and Gunnedah, where kids are getting caught “posting and boasting” about breaking into homes, stealing keys and taking cars on dangerous high-speed joy rides.

A car torched on James Sheahan Drive in Orange, NSW early on Tuesday morning. Picture: Supplied

Mr Smith, the Western Region Commander, said the kids are driven by the dare and thrill, but the problem goes much deeper.

“Drug use is one issue, boredom, lack of parental supervision, notoriety,” Mr Smith told the Daily Telegraph.

“Put all that combination together and then there is a role there for education, lack of employment. This is not just a police issue and we can’t easily resolve it unless we get all of the community on board, elders, local and state government to divert what is essentially a small number of young offenders.”

Since Operation Mongoose was launched in September last year police have charged 212 people over home invasions and car thefts.

Those 212 people have been dealt with on 789 occasions for a total of 2200 individual offences. And of those, 142 are juveniles.

Deputy Comissioner Paul Pisanos and Assistant Commissioner Rod Smith tackling crime in the country head on with community members. Picture David Swift

More than 380 people have been referred for breaching their bail.

Mr Smith said the figures were proof the targeted approach of compliance and firearms check on known suspects was working.

New tougher bail conditions that came into effect this year have seen 25 out of 37 young offenders been refused bail and seven offenders have been charged over posting and boasting.

“Simultaneously to that we are also focused on crime prevention with the youth command.

PCYCS across the region are identifying younger offenders who are at risk of being influenced by older cohorts.

“We are trying to divert them away and into programs like the NRL Pathfinder, Fit for Life and a range of others,” he said.

“We are trying to identify and divert as many people as we can and that really requires input from parents, carers, people who have a level of influence over these kids to stop it from being too easy for kids to jump in a stolen car with their mate.”

Police involved in Operation Mongoose in Moree earlier this year. Picture: NSW Police

Operation Mongoose has seen the rates of home invasions and car thefts reduced in the western region of the state ince the beginning of the year. Picture: NSW Police

In Moree police are working closely with the Premier’s Department to engage the local council, business chamber, Aboriginal elders, “to build some cohesion between everyone to address crime”.

The locals identified drugs as a key concern so police responded. The recent Operation Bull Shark resulted in 93 charges of supplying prohibited drugs including amphetamine, ice, cocaine cannabis and fentanyl.

Mr Smith said there was “some phenomenal” work being done on the ground from police officers living in the communities where the crimes were being committed.

“Cops in their local towns take this personally and are relentless in their follow up,” he said.

Kids boxing with Willie Middleton at a NSW Police launch of the Fit For Life Campaign in regional NSW. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

In a recent case, a Porsche stolen from near Newcastle this week was tracked to Bogabilla where the driver failed to pay for petrol, then spotted in Goondiwindi. On Tuesday three offenders were arrested in Tamworth and the car was found.

“In almost every occasion of this type of crime, within 24 hours they have identified arrested and charged suspects,” Mr Smith said.

“I am absolutely blown away by the work of the police out here and the urgency they apply to their responses to these types of things and just how smart they are about how they police.

“It’s not a short-term fight and we are committed for the long haul.”

Originally published as It’s personal: Country cops relentless hunt for kids who “post and boast” violent crimes