A dozen arrested in separate Top End pursuits

More than a dozen people have been arrested after three separate Top End pursuits. Read what happened.

NT Police are searching for an alleged sex predator after a Woodroffe woman was attacked.

June 2: Top End police resources were stretched over the weekend as officers from Strike Force Trident dealt with three pursuits in Darwin’s northern suburbs and Rural Area.

At 3.30am on Saturday the driver of an MG ZS allegedly left a Casuarina service station without paying and after further inquiries, police identified the vehicle had been stolen from a residence in Moil earlier that evening.

A pursuit commenced, with the three vehicle occupants fleeing in Malak.

Strike Force Trident members and the police dog squad later arrested a 19-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl.

At 4.15am a Strike Force Trident unit engaged in a pursuit of a Ford Falcon allegedly stolen earlier from a residence in Parap, with the chase ending when the vehicle was also abandoned in Malak.

Three 14-year-olds and a 15 and 16-year-old were arrested.

Later on Saturday morning Strike Force Trident and the Dog Operations Unit combined to arrest eight youths and an adult in relation to a stolen vehicle being driven around the rural area between Elizabeth River and Berry Springs.

A tyre deflation device was successfully deployed, bringing the vehicle to a stop, with the alleged offenders running into bushland from Elrundie Avenue.

Following protracted tracking, Trident and DOU patrol dogs Wedge, Drax and Cheeko found the nine alleged offenders, five of whom were hiding in a tree.

Four male youths and an 18-year-old woman have been charged with property-related offences. Four youths will be dealt with under the Youth Justice Act.

Detective Sergeant Dale Motter-Barnard praised the effective collaboration between the various police squads.

“Once again these arrests are the result of the quick collaborative work between Trident, Dog Ops and General Duties,” he said. “Patrol Dogs Wedge, Drax and Cheeko were instrumental in both tracking the alleged offenders and facilitating a safe arrest.”

June 1: Sex crime detectives are searching for a man who allegedly assaulted a woman in her own home before fleeing and have called on the public help to identify him.

Police allege at about 10.30pm on Wednesday, the woman was approached by the unknown man at her house on Sibbald Cres, Woodroffe.

The pair exchanged words according to police before he entered the premises and sexually assaulted her.

The man was described as in his late 20s to early 30s, around 170cm tall, Aboriginal in appearance, with a stocky build and medium-length afro hair.

He was wearing a light-coloured singlet, dark shorts and grey sneakers.

Police urged anyone who knows or who has CCTV of the man to call 131 444 and quote reference P24147477.

Anonymous reports can also be made to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via crimestoppersnt.com.au.

Police bust hoons, track five youths hiding up a tree

May 31, 5pm: Police have arrested eight youths and one adult after they fled from a stolen vehicle and five of them hid up a tree on Thursday morning.

Officers first received a tip-off that a stolen vehicle was being driven around the Rural Area between Elizabeth River and Berry Springs at about 6.50am.

Strike Force Trident and dog squad members responded and deployed a tyre deflation device, bringing the vehicle to a stop before its occupants fled into bushland near Elrundie Ave on foot.

Some time later the patrol dogs found the nine alleged offenders, five of whom were “hiding in a tree”.

Four boys and one 18-year-old woman were charged with property offences while four other youths were sent for diversion.

Detective Sergeant Dale Motter-Barnard urged anyone with any further information to come forward.

“Once again these arrests are the result of the quick collaborative work between Trident, dog ops and general duties,” he said.

“Patrol dogs Wedge, Drax and Cheeko were instrumental in both tracking the alleged offenders and facilitating a safe arrest.”

Meanwhile, police also impounded two vehicles following separate hooning incidents in Palmerston earlier this month.

In the first incident, investigators say a purple Ford Falcon XR6 ute did a burnout as it made a right-hand turn from Bree St on to Kirkland Rd in Tivendale at about 4.40pm on May 10.

The burnout resulted in smoke emanating from the tyres, damage to the road surface and the vehicle drifting sideways in front of oncoming traffic.

Then at about 6.15pm on May 16, police say a red Honda Prelude stopped next to two riders on horseback on Hicks Road in Girraween before performing a burnout causing loss of traction.

As a result, they say both horses became frightened, creating a significant risk to the safety of the riders.

Officers then found and impounded both vehicles at separate residences in Darwin on Wednesday, seizing and impounding them for 48 hours while handing each driver an infringement notice.

Territory road policing division Superintendent Daniel Shean said hoon behaviour on our roads “presents a danger to other road users and can damage the road”.

“On this occasion, motorists on Kirkland Drive were lucky the car did not lose control and crash into them and that the horses weren’t spooked too bad as that could have resulted in serious injury to the riders had they fell from the horses,” he said.

Tasmanian police charge NT man with trafficking drugs

May 31, 4pm: A Northern Territory man has been charged after Tasmania Police allegedly seized methamphetamine, MDMA, cannabis and a pill press in targeted raids.

Tasmania Police in a statement said the searches took place across two days at a large home in Brighton, which is a rural suburb south of Hobart.

Along with the drugs, police also allegedly found chemical binding agents, which authorities said is commonly used in the production of illicit drugs.

The 32-year-old Northern Territory man was charged with trafficking a controlled substance.

Tasmania Police Detective Acting Sergeant Sam Storer said police would target those involved in the distribution of drugs.

“The man was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance and appeared in court on Wednesday, before reappearing (on Friday),” he said.

“Illicit drugs and chemical binding agents such as those seized can cause significant harm in our community.

“Tasmania Police will continue to target those who are involved in the manufacturing and distribution of illicit drugs and will hold them accountable.”

Anyone with information can anonymously provide information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police rush to second pedestrian crash in 24 hours

May 31: Emergency services were called to a second pedestrian crash in 24 hours after a man was hit on the Stuart Hwy.

Northern Watch Commander Donna Cayley said witnesses believed the 53-year-old man had been attempting to cross the major thoroughfare in Coolalinga when he was hit by a vehicle about 5.30pm Thursday.

Sergeant Cayley said the 42-year-old driver of the vehicle stopped to give assistance to the pedestrian until emergency services arrived.

St John NT Territory Response Manager Craig Garraway said the man suffered multiple leg fractures due to the crash.

Mr Garraway said he was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital in a serious condition.

Sergeant Cayley said the driver was tested for alcohol and drugs at the scene but he returned a negative result for both.

She said the incident occurred near the Caltex service station’s service road.

It comes after a 42-year-old man was killed in an alleged hit and run about 11.50pm Wednesday.

Car engulfed in flames sparks police investigation

May 29: A car fire has sparked a police investigation after the vehicle was found engulfed in flames.

Northern Watch Commander Brendan Molly said police responded to the blaze near the Katherine Information Centre about 2.54am Wednesday.

Sergeant Molloy said the Katherine fire service attended and extinguished the flames, and general duties police members visited the registered owners.

He said the owners confirmed the white Mitsubishi Outlander station wagon had been stolen, and their home had been broken into via a partially-secured window.

Sergeant Molloy called on any witnesses or anyone with CCTV and dashcam footage to contact police.

‘Appalled’: drunken, machete wielding mob leads to multiple arrests

NT Police were forced to control a dangerous situation, when a group of heavily drunk, machete wielding men were allegedly damaging vehicles in a Top End town.

About 4am on Monday, police received reports that a group of men had allegedly broken into a licensed premises in Endeavour Square, Nhulunbuy, and stolen a quantity of alcohol.

The group is alleged to have caused substantial damage to the building and within the store before they fled on foot towards residences on Eugenia Ave.

At 7.45am, police then received reports that a number of disturbances had occurred in the town of Yirrkala, 18 kilometres southeast of Nhulunbuy, in which a group of men had allegedly armed themselves with machetes and were damaging vehicles.

Police responded to the situation and arrested three alleged offenders – two youths and one adult, who were all heavily intoxicated.

Police allege the booze raid was linked to the disturbances in Yirrkala.

NT Police maintained there was no ongoing risk to community members and that proactive patrols would be conducted in Yirrkala from Monday.

“Nhulunbuy Police are appalled at the wanton violence and damage this morning at Nhulunbuy and Yirrkala – we will continue to work with business owners and residents to ensure safety and prosecution of those involved in these incidents.”

Police have requested members of the public who have any information regarding the incidents or the men pictured in the CCTV footage to contact 131 444 or attend the Nhulunbuy Police station.