Family members escort Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre escapees to police station

Two teens who escaped custody were escorted back to police by family members after 26 hours on the run. Read the latest.

Alice Springs Correctional Centre youth detention centre. Picture: Gera Kazakov

October 31: Two teens who allegedly escaped custody have been escorted back to police after 26 hours on the run.

In a statement, Northern Territory Corrections Commissioner Matthew Varley said the 17-year-olds had allegedly escaped on Tuesday, but were escorted to a police station by family about 8.30pm Wednesday.

Mr Varley said there had been no indication the two teens had been involved in any other offending while on the run.

They will face charges in relation to allegedly breaking out from the youth detention centre and causing damage to the centre.

The pair had allegedly climbed onto the roof of the youth justice facility about 5.30pm on Tuesday.

They allegedly proceeded to escape the perimeter by using materials they had forcibly removed from the roof as a tool to shield themselves from razor wire as they climbed over the fence.

Both appeared to be unhurt and were accompanied by family as they handed themselves in without incident to the Alice Springs Police Station.

“My gratitude goes to our dedicated Youth Justice Officers who have worked tirelessly over the past 24 hours assisting police to find and apprehend these young people,” Mr Varley said.

“Their extensive work with young people in detention and their families contributed greatly to the young people heading home to family who then supported them to hand themselves in to police.”

The boys have been refused bail and will appear before the Alice Springs Youth Justice Court on Thursday.

‘Extensive’: Teens scramble through razor wire in Red Centre escape

October 30: An extensive search operation is underway for two 17-year-old boys who escaped from one of the Territory’s correctional facilities, amid a department staff and capacity crisis.

A NT Police spokesperson said the youths escaped from Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre on Tuesday night.

One source told this masthead the duo escaped about 5pm on Tuesday, when they jumped on the roof of the block, and “made their way through razor wire”.

The youths were last seen heading south from Alice Springs, the police spokesperson said, with the latest sighting in the Ilparpa Road area.

“An extensive search operation is underway, involving dog units, drones, and general duties officers,” they said.

The police spokesperson said both youths are described as being Aboriginal in appearance with black hair.

One was last seen wearing light coloured shorts and a black jumper.

The other was last seen wearing an orange hi-vis jumper and black shorts.

Police advise people not to approach the two youths, however they do not believe they pose a risk to the public.

NT Corrections Commissioner Matthew Varley on Wednesday morning said youth justice officers had tried to negotiate with the teens while they were on the roof.

“The young people escaped the perimeter by using materials they had forcibly removed from the roof as a tool to shield themselves from razor wire as they climbed over the fence,” Mr Varley said.

Alice Springs Correctional Centre. Picture: Jason Walls

“NT Police attended the site to investigate. The investigation is active and ongoing.

“The Department of Corrections will conduct an internal investigation into the escape incident, as per standard protocols, and will provide a report to the Commissioner.

“The centre was appropriately staffed at the time of the incident.”

The escape comes amid “a record prisoner crisis”, Mr Varley told media on Tuesday afternoon.

The “crisis” led to a series of “emergency actions” being implemented by Mr Varley – much to the ire of Corrections officers, with almost 400 union members supporting a walk out.

According to Deputy Chief Minister and Corrections Minister Gerard Maley, one of the teenagers had 273 previous criminal occurrences with police.

The second, he said, had 90 previous criminal occurrences.

The double escape also comes after Mr Maley visited Alice Springs Correctional Centre and Youth Detention Centre on Tuesday afternoon to get a “first-hand look at the situation”, he said in a statement on Wednesday morning.

He used the visit to bash the previous Labor government for their “ideology-driven poor law and order policies”.

In his statement, he further attacked the former Labor government.

Corrections Commissioner Matthew Varley speaking at a press conference in Darwin on Tuesday. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“Labor didn’t prioritise Corrections or the Holtze Youth Detention Centre. That’s why it’s more than two years overdue and $75 million over budget,” he said.

“Labor spent more than $40 million refurbishing the Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre which had an initial budget of $13 million.”

Of note, the CLP have not yet released how much their 1000 bed NT prisons upgrade plan is set to cost – with Labor previously claiming the plan could cost $700 million.

Anyone with information about their location is urged to contact police on 131 444, quoting reference number NTP24000109358, or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.