Police arrest 9, hunt for more after Darwin business crime spree

Police have arrested nine West Daly teenagers after an overnight crime spree, with more on the run. Read what happened and see video here.

Police have arrested nine West Daly teenagers allegedly involved in the theft of an Adelaide River school bus, a multi-business crime spree in Darwin’s northern suburbs and reversing into a police car.

Police said up to 20 youths aged between 15 and 17 broke into the Adelaide River school early on Tuesday morning and allegedly stole the keys to a 12-seater Coaster bus before driving the vehicle towards Darwin.

Acting Commander David Moore said social media vision obtained by police showed the group “having a good time” on board the bus while a number of other vehicles allegedly containing the youths made their way to a business in Berrimah.

Acting Commander David Moore

Abandoning the bus, the teens allegedly stole two vehicles from a business in Moo Street, Berrimah, before ramming the gate with the vehicles to exit.

The teens then moved to Winnellie where they allegedly targeted multiple businesses, stealing a Toyota Landcruiser utility and ramming through the gate at one, before stealing a Ford Fiesta sedan from another business and causing damage at multiple other premises.

The group allegedly continued to steal further cars including a Landcruiser Troop Carrier from a licenced premises on Gilruth Avenue and another Troop Carrier from a residence in Nakara. Several of the stolen vehicles were then abandoned in Nakara and at the Casuarina Coastal Reserve.

Around 3am, both Troop Carriers drove into a Strike Force Trident and Dog Operations Unit cordon and a pursuit began through Berry Springs before one of the vehicles turned and drove back toward Darwin as the second continued south.

A tyre deflation device was successfully deployed near Acacia Hills area on the Stuart Highway, with two alleged offenders aged 15 and 16 apprehended after a foot chase.

A short time later, an older model Landcruiser failed to stop at the second cordon and a pursuit was initiated which resulted in a 16-year-old male being apprehended.

Around 7.30am, another Landcruiser utility failed to stop at a traffic cordon and a pursuit was commenced.

A tyre deflation device was deployed with the alleged offender deliberately ramming into a police vehicle, rendering it inoperable.

Four youths, three aged 15 and one aged 16, were arrested at the scene.

Further investigation indicated both utilities had been stolen overnight from a facility in Acacia Hills on the Stuart Hwy.

Trident later arrested two males in the Casuarina area aged 16 and 17 in connection with the alleged offending.

Acting Commander Moore said seven of eight stolen vehicles had been recovered and nine offenders were in custody.

“It’s really disappointing that during the apprehensions of one of those vehicles, one of the vehicles was reversed and hit the front of one of the police cars, that was rendered inoperable so they had to be towed away,” he said.

While it is unclear from police exactly where the offenders were from, West Daly communities include Wadeye, Peppimenarti, Daly River, Palumpa and Bulla.

Acting Commander Moore said Strike Force Trident would continue to investigate the incidents and are calling on the public to help find the remaining offenders.

Anybody with information can contact police on 131444.