Third arrest made over Tennant Creek crime spree as emergency meeting held, curfew calls grow
A 17-year-old boy is the third arrest to be made in connection to a crime spree in Tennant Creek over the weekend – leading to renewed curfew calls being made for the Barkly capital.
A 17-year-old boy is the third arrest to be made in connection to a crime spree in Tennant Creek over the weekend, which saw buildings rammed, cars stolen, and more – leading to renewed curfew calls being made for the Barkly capital.
NT Police announced the youth’s arrest Tuesday morning, but said he was arrested at the Village Camp on Monday morning.
The teen has been charged with driving a motor vehicle without consent, theft, aggravated burglary, and ram raid, police said.
He is due to face court in Tennant Creek on Tuesday, police said.
The arrest comes as the Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro convened an emergency meeting in town Monday night.
On Tuesday, Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet southern region executive director Jim Rogers said “a number of local businesses who attended were given an opportunity to share concerns” at the meeting.
“The BRCC (Barkly Regional Coordination Committee) has committed to strengthened engagement with industry to support safety solution,” Mr Rogers said.
But Barkly Regional Council Mayor Sid Vashist said only four to five business people attended the meeting, which was only open to members of the public for roughly 10 minutes.
Mr Vashist said he wasn’t invited either when talking with this masthead on Tuesday, instead calling it a “meeting of bureaucracy”.
“Things are pretty tough at the moment...we definitely need a circuit breaker,” he said.
“People are genuinely living in fear.”
Mr Vashist again called for the Chief Minister to formally respond to the the council’s whole-of-community safety meeting feedback and proposed solutions he’d previously handed over to her.
As of Tuesday, Mr Vashist said he’s yet to receive a formal response from the Chief Minister.
Mr Rogers said “immediate actions” from the meeting include: supporting impacted businesses; reviewing street lighting and police CCTV towers; reinforcing ‘secure vehicle key storage requirements and advice on available assistance’; and issuing joint community messaging which promotes “shared responsibility for community safety”.
“A coordinated plan is underway including enhanced Safer Streets patrols, expanded school holiday and youth diversion programs, free pool access, and increased joint patrols with Public Housing Safety Officers and community patrollers” for summer, Mr Rogers said.
“NT Government agencies, Barkly Regional Council and partners will continue working together to reduce crime, support local businesses and improve community safety. A public fact sheet outlining actions and available supports will be released in the coming days.”
The teen is third arrest made in connection to the crime spree, during which stolen cars drove the main street of the Barkly capital in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Three cars were stolen by a group of youths from Maloney St business, police previously alleged, with the stolen cars used to ram raid multiple properties – including the cop shop.
A stationary police car was also rammed, alongside a hotel in Tennant Creek, with the offenders gaining entry and stealing alcohol, police previously alleged.
Two teens, aged 16, were arrested on Sunday in connection to the crime spree, police said on Sunday.
The teens have been charged with aggravated burglary and multiple counts of ram-raid.
Barkly MLA Steve Edgington also had his office damaged, with the Chief Minister calling what happened “unacceptable” on Sunday.
Earlier in September, Goldfields Hotel manager Jason Groves called for a curfew in the town after a brawl at the footy.
On Tuesday, Mr Groves said he still supports a curfew being called in the town.
He said calling the curfew is “one way” the stakeholders in the town could work together to address the issues the town is facing.
Mr Vashist, speaking on the curfew call, said if “it works for Alice then it works for Tennant”.
He said is not opposed to the idea, but stressed “the police have the powers (to enact a curfew)”.
But Mr Vashist said he mainly wanted to see high visibility policing continue and the additional resources brought into the community to remain in Tennant Creek throughout summer.
NT Police have been contacted for comment.
