Woman arrested following suspicious house fire in Katherine

Police have arrested a woman following a fire that destroyed a Top End home.

A WOMAN was arrested overnight after a house was “gutted” by a fire in Katherine.

NT Police Senior Sergeant Richard Howie said the cause of the fire was unknown and was being treated as suspicious.

“We had information that there might have been people inside the house – once it was extinguished it was then determined soon after, no one was inside,” Snr Sgt Howie said.

“A woman in her mid 20s was arrested at the scene, there was some indication that she may have allegedly been involved.

“We’re saying at this stage it does appear to be suspicious.”

Snr Sgt Howie said the house had extensive damage after the blaze ripped through it.

“Arson is quite a serious offence,” he said.

“We get house fires but this one certainly took hold and the house was completely gutted, the internals were all burnt, it was on the more serious side.

“We’ll see what comes through later today and whether any charges are laid.”

WOMAN STRUCK BY VEHICLE

NT Police are exploring a possible instance of domestic violence after a woman was struck by a vehicle in Alice Springs.

At 12.27am on Thursday a woman was walking towards a convenience store on Gap Rd when a vehicle entered the carpark and struck her.

The car, allegedly driven by a person known to her, pinned the woman against another parked car before the driver reversed and fled the scene.

The woman was transported to Alice Springs Hospital with lower body injuries and remains in a stable condition.

Detectives from the Alice Springs CIB have identified a blue sedan as a possible vehicle of interest.

The identity of the driver is still being investigated with the victim’s partner noted as a person of interest.

Anyone with information is urge to call police on 131 444 or report it anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestoppersnt.com.au.

Police also urge anyone who is or may know someone who is a victim of domestic or family violence to report it to police on 131 444.

Two people cut from wreckage after three-car Palmo crash

TWO people had to be cut from the wreckage of their car after a three car crash in Palmerston.

At 8.30pm on Wednesday, emergency services were called to the intersection of Chung Wah Terrace and Forest Parade in Bellamack.

There it was discovered two people were trapped in a car and a 70-year-old had a number of injuries, St John NT operations manager Craig Garraway told ABC.

“He will make a full recovery,” he said.

“Fireys were there and helped us get those two people out of the car, St John NT then transported both to the hospital with minor injuries.”

It came after a peak-hour fender bender left traffic banked up on the Stuart Highway.

Senior Sergeant Richard Howie said the 4.50pm crash caused a “concertina effect”.

“A vehicle ran into the back of another vehicle in front resulting in a concertina effect, causing four vehicles to be damaged,” Sen Sgt Howie said.

“Traffic was obstructed for a lengthy period while the roadway was cleared.

“No injuries were to be reported all drivers tested negative for alcohol.”

Early on Wednesday Police were also called to the site of a crash in the Darwin CBD.

Senior Sergeant Richard Howie said 30-year-old man lost control of his ute and hit a tree on Knuckey St.

“Investigations determined that the Toyota Land Cruiser had lost control while rounding a corner causing it to hit a tree,” Sen Sgt Howie said.

St John NT operations manager Craig Garraway said the man was taken to the Royal Darwin Hospital with minor injuries.

Arson charges for vehicle fire

A MAN has been charged for allegedly setting a vehicle on fire in Darwin CBD.

About 5.30am on Tuesday police received reports of the fire at a carpark on Mitchell St. Police and fireys attended and extinguished the fire.

CCTV operators found the alleged 47-year-old offender and he was arrested.

He was charged with arson, threats to burn or destroy and trespassing.

He was remanded to appear in Darwin Local Court on Wednesday.

NT Police investigate a burnt out tte on Mitchell St after an alleged arson attack overnight. Picture Glenn Campbell

“Quick action from our CCTV operators and a concerned member of the public have allowed our members to apprehend the alleged offender almost immediately,” Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Bland said.

“We are still requesting anyone in the area at the time of the fire, who witnessed any suspicious behaviour, to make contact on 131 444.”

Gun safe stolen, abandoned

THIEVES smashed their way through the window of an Alice Springs home to steal a gun safe, only to abandon it when they couldn’t open it.

NT Police Senior Sergeant Allan Milner said the offenders also stole a blue Holden commodore when they smashed through a side window of the Undoolya Rd home between 6.06am and 7.30am on Tuesday.

“The registration of the stolen vehicle is 560NT, forensics attended and the vehicle is still outstanding,” S/Sgt Millner said.

“They were able to carry it [gun safe] out, so it mustn’t have been a big gun safe but all it had was some coinage and some paper work inside.

“It was still secure when the members attended.”

S/Sgt Millner said a residential property in Tennant Creek also had a break-in when a locked door was damaged for offenders to gain entry.

“The unlawful entry occurred on Blackmore Rd between 7pm Monday October 18 and 7am Tuesday October 19,” S/Sgt Millner said.

“The good thing is, nothing appears to be stolen.”

Community disturbance

POLICE are investigating a disturbance between family groups in the Aboriginal community of Peppimenarti in which a number of people were allegedly armed and damaged property.

Superintendent Kirk Pennuto said several venues in the community, 320km southwest of Darwin, were advised to close and lock their doors as a precaution.

Supt Pennuto said no one was injured.

Police arrest man following vehicle fire

POLICE have arrested a man following a vehicle fire that sprung up in the Darwin CBD in the early hours of the morning on October 19.

At 3.47am police received a call of a vehicle on fire in a carpark just off of Mitchell St near the Daly St end.

Both police and fire service attended the fire while CCTV cameras noticed a suspicious man who was seen to have started the fire.

The 47-year-old man was swiftly found and arrested and taken to the Darwin watch house for questioning.

Watch Commander Xavier McMahon said the arrest had been made with

“We started monitoring the area with our CCTV network and backtracked that footage which assisted us in identifying a suspect who was subsequently arrested for an act of arson,” he said.

“There was probably a 10 minute turnaround of when we received the call and made the arrest. The attending police members basically just went around the corner and found the person of interest.”

Cupboard door stolen, school targeted in slew of break-ins

AS the heat mounts up so too as the crime with Alice Springs hit by a slew of thefts with anything from vehicles to a cupboard door stolen.

Private school St Phillip’s College was among the addresses struck on October 18.

Between 6.46am and 7.19am the school was broken into via a damaged store room door with an unknown amount of cash taken from the premises.

An address on Lyndavale Dr was also targeted sometime between 4pm on October 15 and 7am on October 18.

The thieves are thought to have broke in through a damaged rear bedroom window and surprisingly stole a cupboard door.

A social club on George Cres was also hit between 12pm on October 17 and October 18.

The offenders who stole an assortment of alcohol broke into the address by peeling back a corrugated iron wall.

Another robbery took place at a home in Willshire St between 10pm on October 17 and 7am on October 18 with entry managed through a rear door.

A range of items were taken including vehicle keys for a white Holden cruise sedan which remains missing.

Pigglys Supermarket in The Gap also fell victim to a break-in at 11.03pm.

The cleaner of the store briefly left the premises to go to their car leaving the door open.

It was then when an opportunist took their chance to sneak into the shop taking items that have yet to be confirmed.

Four arrested after alleged robbery of Katherine business

POLICE have arrested two adults and two youths after the group allegedly robbed a business in Katherine early on Sunday morning.

An NT Polices spokesman said the four alleged offenders reportedly entered the business on Cyprus St shortly after 4am where they were confronted by two staff members.

The intruders then allegedly assaulted the staff members — one of whom was taken to Katherine Hospital with minor injuries — before being arrested a short time later.

The two adults, aged 18, were each charged with robbery and bailed to appear in court in December while the 17-year-old youths will be dealt with under the Youth Justice Act.

Houses, vehicles set alight in Daly River

POLICE say calm has been restored to the community of Daly River after houses and vehicles were set alight at the weekend.

An NT Police spokesman said police from other nearby community had been deployed to support local officers but there were no reports of any injuries.

“The Daly River community is currently calm after an earlier incident in which two houses and vehicles were set alight,” he said.

“Engagement with community elders has commenced and reassurance patrols of the community are under way.

“Investigations are under way at the two affected properties.”

Vehicles stolen across Alice Springs and Tennant Creek

TERRITORIANS are being warned to lock up their homes after there were seven break-ins with a ute and a motorbike reported stolen across Alice Springs and Tennant Creek.

NT Police Senior Sergeant Alan Milner said a residential house was broken into on Gosse St in East Side between 1am and 1.26am on Monday.

“The point of entry was a unsecure rear door and motor vehicle keys were stolen which was recovered by the complainant,” S/Sgt Milner said.

“Forensics requested to attend that.”

S/Sgt Milner said the second break-in was a home on Mistletoe St in Sadadeen between 3am and 6am on Sunday.

“The point of entry was an unsecure rear door, no property was stolen,” he said.

The third break-in was residential property on Grant Rd in Larapinta.

“This occurred between 10pm on October 15 to 6am on October 16. The owners did not report the unlawful entry until October 17,” S/Sgt Milner said.

“The point of entry was an unsecure front door and a set of motor vehicle keys were stolen.”

S/Sgt Milner said the fourth break-in for the 24-hours happened on Kilgariff Cres in Sadadeen which occurred between 8pm on October 16 and 1pm on October 17.

“The point of entry was a damaged rear door, it has not been identified what was stolen from there and forensic were requested,” he said.

S/Sgt Milner said Daves Used Cars on North Stuart Hwy was the fifth break-in for the 24-hours.

“The break-in happened sometime prior to 9.15am Sunday, the point of entry was damage to a front door lock,” he said.

Generic photograph of a burglar thief breaking into a house through an unlocked window. Picture: Supplied.

“What was stolen is still being identified, we do know however there was a motorcycle that was stolen from their premises and a quantity of cash.”

S/Sgt Milner said the ute which was stolen from a residence on Cycad Pl in Sadadeen between 10.30pm 10.50pm on Sunday.

“The NT registration of the still blue Toyota dual-cab ute is CD60ZJ,” he said.

“The vehicle is still outstanding. It was also the subject of a short pursuit, due to its manner of driving the pursuit was terminated.”

S/Sgt Milner said soft drinks and water was stolen at Tennant Creek High School over the weekend.

“They damaged part of the front door to gain entry,” he said.

S/Sgt Milner said the a break-in happened on Udall Rd in Tennant Creek, between 4pm on October 16 and 8am on October 17.

“A set of assorted keys were stolen, including car keys,” he said.

“Forensics attended the scene.”

S/Sgt Milner said residence should remain vigilant and to hide there valuables and keys in at all times.

“Lock up your homes, ensure that you don’t leave vehicles keys especially laying about where they can be seen, put them away,” he said.