Group charged after allegedly smashing hospital, car windows and assaulting workers
Watch Commander Danny Fields said three people allegedly smashed the front doors of the emergency wing of the hospital and multiple car windows ‘for reasons we’re not sure of yet’.
Alice Springs
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Police have charged a trio who allegedly smashed the doors of a hospital before assaulting workers and damaging parked cars in Alice Springs.
An NT Police spokesman said the alleged offenders, aged 15, 17 and 23, were charged with property damage, engaging in violent conduct, assaulting a worker, trespassing, stealing and being armed with an offensive weapon.
Southern Watch Commander Danny Fields said the trio was arrested after an incident at Alice Springs Hospital at 3.20am on Saturday.
Senior Sergeant Fields said the three people allegedly smashed the front doors of the emergency wing of the hospital and multiple car windows “for reasons we’re not sure of yet”.
“We think they were at the hospital for something, and something has aggrieved them,” he said.
“Something has happened in the reception, either between themselves or between other people.”
The spokesman said it was alleged the group assaulted hospital staff with blunt weapons before fleeing the scene.
He said the victims received minor injuries.
Sergeant Fields said the trio was in the public emergency department area, but were not patients.
He said the group was taken into custody, with police returning to the scene to establish what contributed to the alleged incident.
“They are very noisy but not particularly helpful,” Sergeant Fields said.
“We’ve gone back to make heads or tails of what’s actually occurred.”
Sergeant Fields said it was disappointing to see fellow emergency services experiencing the anti-social behaviour.
“We don’t like getting targeted ourselves, it’s not fair for the hospital,” he said.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, a 21-year-old charged with domestic violence and robbery related offences actively avoided police for three weeks before his arrest, NT Police allege.
NT Police allege the man assaulted his partner in a service station on Paterson St, Tennant Creek before threatening her with a bottle on May 5.
An spokeswoman said the woman received neck and face injuries, with the 21-year-old allegedly “actively avoiding” police since the incident.
Investigators said the alleged offender was located when officers responded to reports of a disturbance on Ford Cres, Tennant Creek last Friday, three weeks after the initial incident.
Police said the alleged offender was arrested without incident.
Detectives from the Tennant Creek Criminal Investigation Branch have since charged the man with engaging in conduct to contravene a domestic violence order, breach of bail, aggravated assault, damage to property, going armed in public, theft, aggravated robbery, making threats to kill and two counts of assaulting a worker.
He was remanded to appear in the Tennant Creek Local Court on Tuesday.
Police arrest man after woman suffers suspected broken arm in alleged Alice Springs DV incident
Police arrest man after woman suffers suspected broken arm in alleged Alice Springs DV incident
Police have arrested a 42-year-old man in relation to a domestic violence incident that allegedly left a woman with a suspected broken arm and “a serious laceration to her head”.
An NT Police spokeswoman said officers were alerted to the incident after the 44-year-old woman presented to the Alice Springs Hospital with “significant injuries” about 10.45pm on Thursday.
“Southern Crime with assistance from Southern Drone, Dog Operations and general duties officers attended a residence in Hidden Valley Town Camp, where a crime scene was established,” she said.
“The alleged offender was arrested a short distance away after attempting to flee from police.
“He remains in custody and is assisting with inquiries.”
Anyone with any information or who witnessed the alleged assault is urged to contact police on 131 444, quoting reference number 10349045.
For help, call 1800 RESPECT (1800737732) or Lifeline 131 114.
Police arrest multiple youths after 680km chase
A co-ordinated police response to multiple vehicle thefts over a 680km distance across the Alice Springs and MacDonnell regions has resulted in the arrests of five youths.
Police allege the group stole two vehicles from a school on the Stuart Highway before driving them out to a remote community west of Alice Springs on Sunday.
A severely damaged Mitsubishi Pajero was recovered the following morning by Papunya police.
Police reported the sighting of the other stolen vehicle, a Mitsubishi Triton, being driven out of Kintore on Wednesday.
It was joined by a Toyota HiLux, which had been reported stolen on Tuesday night.
Officers from Strike Force Viper, Operation Drina, Southern Drones and Southern Dog Operations co-ordinated an arrest on Larapinta Dr.
There a tyre deflation device was used and the four youths were arrested without incident.
A 13-year-old, a 14-year-old and two 15-year-olds were charged with driving and bail offences and were remanded to appear in court on Thursday.
Another 14-year-old will be dealt with in accordance with the Youth Justice Act.
Detective Senior Sergeant Rob Kent said commended the efforts of those involved in the arrests.
“The apprehension of these youths can be accredited to the teamwork and professionalism of all officers involved across a 680km distance,” Sergeant Kent said.
“This is a highly commendable outcome.”
Man remains on the run after cutting another man’s wrist
NT Police are searching for a person who allegedly cut a 59-year-old man in Tennant Creek.
Police said the man left his Kittle St home to confront someone “causing a disturbance in the drain” near his property between 12am and 12.45am on Wednesday.
They said the alleged offender, who remains unidentified, cut the man’s wrist with an edged weapon before fleeing.
Police said the man was described as “of Aboriginal appearance, 170cm tall, aged 17-18 years and wearing black jeans and a yellow and orange Aboriginal design jumper”.
They said the 59-year-old required medical treatment for his injuries.
Police urged anyone with information relating to the incident to contact police on 131 444 and quote reference number 10347186.
Drone, spikes, and police pursuit leads to arrest of six kids
Police have pursued an allegedly stolen car for almost ten minutes before arresting six of its occupants in Alice Springs.
NT Police Southern Watch Commander Rod Hayman said the car was stolen from Club Eastside at 9.30pm Tuesday.
He said it was spotted again at about 10.45pm south of The Gap on the Stuart Hwy.
Sergeant Hayman said police set up tyre deflators in the CBD, launched a drone to monitor the car’s movements and patrolled in an unmarked car.
“The vehicle returned, coming through our tyre deflation location and was successfully spiked,” he said.
“We were able to pursue that vehicle at low speed until the vehicle was unable to be driven any longer.”
Sergeant Hayman said the pursuit lasted for about eight or nine minutes.
He said police arrested six kids aged between 12 and 17, and five were in custody helping with police inquiries.
Sergeant Hayman said the sixth child was released “pending further follow-up inquiries” due to the child’s age.
He said no charges had been laid in relation to the incident.
Woman grabbed, assaulted along Central Australian walking trail
Alice Springs detectives are investigating an incident on Saturday afternoon in which a woman was assaulted.
Police said the woman was walking on the Alice Springs Desert Park Trail between Blain Street and Albrecht Drive when she was confronted by an unknown man.
The man exposed himself before grabbing the woman, who was able to escape and call for help. He was then said to have fled the scene.
The alleged offender is described as being of Aboriginal appearance, slim build and in his late teens or early 20s. He was last seen wearing a black cap, black hoodie and black basketball shorts.
Anyone with information or who was in the area between 5pm and 6pm are asked to contact police on 131444 and quote reference number 10344552.
Woman left burnt and homeless after house fire
An Alice Springs woman has been left burnt and homeless after her house was engulfed in flame overnight.
NT Police Southern Watch Commander Alistair Gall said a house fire in The Gap was reported several times at about 12.15am on Friday.
“When we attended, the house was engulfed with fire,” he said.
Sergeant Gall said a woman who was home at the time suffered minor injuries including burns and smoke inhalation.
Sergeant Gall said she was taken to Alice Springs Hospital as a precautionary measure to treat her burns and because “smoke inhalation is not pleasant”.
He said initial investigations suggested the fire was not “suspicious” and was likely caused by an electrical fault or heater.
“Unfortunately, the house is uninhabitable, it suffered some major damage,” Sergeant Gall said.
“Investigations will continue today to try and establish the exact cause of the fire.
“The fire investigators will be attending the scene this morning.”
Police credited with saving sleeping man from smoke-filled home
Two police officers have been credited with potentially saving a life after they evacuated a sleeping man from smoke filled building in Tennant Creek at the weekend.
The man’s smoke alarm went off at about 10.43am on Sunday and witnesses saw smoke billowing from the building’s windows before calling triple-0.
The two officers were the first to arrive on the scene and “immediately sprang into action”, forcing their way through the locked front door and carrying the sleeping man to safety.
An NT Police spokeswoman said the officers found a pot on the stove that had boiled dry and started to burn, producing the smoke.
“Thanks to the quick actions of the police, this man was evacuated in time before things could have escalated,” she said.
“This serves as a reminder to always be aware of fire hazards.”
World War II bayonet stolen from Alice Springs home
Police are searching for a stolen World War II relic after a bayonet was snatched from an Alice Springs home.
Police confirmed they were investigating a break and enter at a Gillen home on Sunday night.
Southern Watch Commander Mick Fields said while the residents were out, the thieves jumped a perimeter fence and went through an unlocked door.
Sergeant Fields said they arrived home to find electrical items missing, alongside the WWII-era bayonet.
He called on anyone who may have information to contact police, and quote the reference number 1033 9328.
Sergeant Fields said it comes as another break-in was discovered after Larapinta residents returned from a three-day holiday to find their home burgled.
He said thieves manipulated a lock on the rear sliding door to steal Malaysian Ringgits.
But Sergeant Fields said overall it had been a quiet night for Alice Springs.
“There’s been a relative cold snap overnight, it may have resulted in a reduction in crime,” he said.
“(But) I don’t have any evidence that Alice Springs is slowing down in any capacity.”
Alice Springs man extradited to NSW to face alleged Braidwood domestic violence charges
An alleged stalker accused of assaulting and intimidating two women has been flown under armed guard out of the Territory.
New South Wales police confirmed a 39-year-old Alice Springs man was arrested on Thursday over an alleged two-month stretch of domestic violence offences.
It is alleged the man assaulted and intimidated two women, aged 37 and 63, who were both known to him between March and April 2023.
He faces 12 charges, including assault, property damage, harassment, stalking or intimidation with the intent to cause fear, threatening to kill, and animal cruelty.
Police said the arrest comes as a result of a two-month investigation into alleged domestic violence offences in Braidwood, 280km south west of Sydney.
Following extensive inquiries, police obtained an arrest warrant on Wednesday May 3 for the 39-year-old Alice Springs man.
The next day NSW detectives travelled to the Northern Territory where they applied for his extradition south.
Police escorted the man back to Sydney on Friday.
The man was refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Saturday.
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