Why Alice Springs crime crisis is forcing locals to ‘leave in droves’

Alice Springs is in the grips of a crime crisis, with “brazen” youths running wild and residents leaving the town “in droves”.

The founder of a controversial social media account in Alice Springs says crime has “gone too far” as the town struggles in the grips of another crime wave.

Darren Clark, who started Action for Alice 2020, a Facebook page set up to raise public awareness of crime in Alice Springs in 2020, says the situation in the Central Australian town is the worst he has seen in 25 years.

“It’s out of control,” Mr Clark said.

“It’s unbelievable.”

Action for Alice 2020 founder Darren Clark says crime in the Central Australian town is the worst he has seen in 25 years. Picture: Supplied

Mr Clark’s Facebook page, which shares Alice Springs residents’ photos and videos of alleged crimes and damage to properties in the town, has amassed almost 50,000 followers, with hundreds of messages being sent daily to the account.

A photo posted on the page recently shows the Woolworths supermarket in Alice Springs with its roller doors closed, leaving only one main entrance open for shoppers to enter and exit.

Posts on the popular Facebook Action for Alice 2020 highlight the escalating crime wave in Alice Springs. Picture: Facebook

Mr Clark said the supermarket had closed its doors due to the number of youths entering the store and attempting to shoplift.

“The kids run in there and they take what they want and go,” Mr Clark said.

He said youths in the town had become so “brazen” they were approaching people in parked cars and banging on their windows with machetes.

Video shared on Action for Alice 2020 appears to show a youth being apprehended by police before having a knife taken from him. Picture: Facebook

“You can’t get out of your car,” Mr Clark said.

“These youths, they run the place.”

On Sunday, NT Police responded to a disturbance at the Woolworths, arresting a 13-year-old boy who was identified by security guards as allegedly being involved in the incident and in possession of a “small edged weapon”.

Roller doors were closed at the Alice Springs Woolworths on Sunday as the town struggles with a crime crisis. Picture: Facebook

He was taken to the police watch house and issued a summons to appear in court.

Mr Clark said long-term residents were packing up and “leaving in droves” due to the crime wave.

“I don’t even go into the CBD anymore,” he said.

Mr Clark also said the 45 police officers deployed to the town as part of Operation Drina, which was launched in November with the aim of reducing anti-social behaviour and associated crimes in Alice Springs, were no longer all there.

Commander Matt Hollamby said Operation Drina had assisted Alice Springs police operations during a period which typically saw a spike in property crime. Picture: Justin Kennedy

Commander Matt Hollamby said Operation Drina numbers had reduced but more than 30 members remained as part of the operation.

“Their expertise has greatly assisted in Alice Springs police operations during a period where we traditionally see a spike in property crime,” he said.

Mr Clark said he believed there was nothing the government or police could do to reduce the out-of-control crime levels.

“The writing’s on the wall,” he said.

“It’s too far gone.”