Alice Springs crime: Police arrest man over alleged possession of handgun, ammo in Larapinta
A man is set to be charged after cops raided an Alice Springs home and allegedly found a handgun and ammo inside. Read the latest from police.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Welcome to the NT News’ weekly Alice Springs and Central rolling police, crime, traffic, fire and breaking news blog. Keep up with the latest across news from Alice Springs right up to the Barkly.
January 3, 4.41pm: A man is set to be charged after cops raided an Alice Springs home and allegedly found a handgun and ammo inside.
NT Police on Friday searched a Larapinta property, after receiving information a 28-year-old man was allegedly in possession of an illegal firearm.
It is alleged that officers found a handgun and an unspecified amount of ammunition.
As at Friday, the man was arrested and charges are yet to be laid for a number of firearm, drug and traffic related offences.
Police further allege the man was in breach of a suspended sentence.
Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Marcus Becker said illegal firearms posed a “significant risk” to the community.
“... The NT Police force will remove them at every opportunity,” Sergeant Becker said.
Police urge those with information relating to the unlawful use or possession of firearms to make a report by calling 131 444.
Police say no arrests made over Red Centre ‘disturbance’
January 3, 3pm: No arrests have been made in relation to a “disturbance” involving a group of people in Alice Springs, Northern Territory Police say.
Police said they attended Ellery Dr in Larapinta 10.30pm on Thursday night to respond to multiple reports of a “disturbance”.
However, when police arrived, “the crowd dispersed”, they said.
“No arrests were made in relation to the disturbance and there were no reports of injuries to police,” police said.
Police did not mention if weapons were used in the disturbance, how many people were in the group, or if anyone in the group was injured.
Child, 9, threatened, woman assaulted in separate Alice Springs attacks
January 3, 7am: Two separate and “extremely traumatic” home invasions occurred in Alice Springs on Thursday night, according to Southern Watch Commander Senior Sergeant Andrew Dunne.
The first incident was in Larapinta and saw a 65-year-old woman allegedly assaulted just outside her home, Sergeant Dunne said.
NT Police allege at least two children approached the woman and stole her handbag about 8.10pm, knocking the woman to the ground and injuring her in the process.
The woman then fled next door and reported the incident to police.
Police allege three children then returned and stole the woman’s car.
Within 13 minutes, at 8.23pm, a team of police – which included a drone unit and the Territory Response Group — had located and stopped the car on Blain St, Araluen.
Sergeant Dunne said three children aged 12, 13 and 14 years old were apprehended.
“It’s obviously an extremely traumatic event for the woman, but I must commend the fantastic policing to apprehend the [alleged] offenders within 13 minutes,” Sergeant Dunne said.
The 12-year-old was released into the care of a responsible adult, while the 13 and 14-year-old alleged offenders will face Alice Springs Local Court on Friday.
At 9.55pm on the other side of town, NT Police received reports of another home invasion in Desert Springs.
Sergeant Dunne said in this incident, three men allegedly broke through the front door of a home and demanded car keys from a nine-year-old child.
The child then alerted the parents, who were on the second floor, and the mother rushed down to confront the three alleged home invaders.
These three men fled after breaking windows and stealing unknown items, Sergeant Dunne said.
The three men, described as Indigenous males aged between 16 and 25 years old, remain at large, with police appealing for residents of Hillside Gardens to check their CCTV footage from between 9–10pm.
Police urge anyone with information about the Desert Springs incident to call 131 444 and quote P25002386.
Suspects on run as car stolen from Larapinta home
January 2, 6.30am: An unknown number of thieves have allegedly broken into a Larapinta home and stolen a car, NT Police say.
Senior Sergeant Andrew Dunne said police received reports of the alleged robbery about 5am on Thursday morning.
He said the suspects entered the home through a front window before allegedly stealing a 2004 silver Toyota Prado.
“The occupants of the home were not confronted during the break-in and were unharmed,” Sergeant Dunne said.
“Investigations are ongoing and the forensic team will be there this morning.
“The vehicle is a 2004 silver Toyota Prado, the number plate is CD44ES.
“ Anyone with information is urged to call 131 444 and quote P25001632.”
Man threatens partner with knife in front of police
January 1, 6.30am: A man was arrested after allegedly threatening his partner and her child with a knife — in front of police.
NT Police said they responded to an incident on Bath St about 12.30pm on Tuesday.
They allege a 23-year-old man threatened his partner, 18, and her child with a knife.
Senior Sergeant Deanne Ward said police then moved the woman and her child into a police vehicle to protect her, after which the man allegedly approached the police vehicle with the knife.
The man was promptly arrested and will be charged with a number of offences, including aggravated assault, hindering police and being armed in public, Sergeant Ward said.
Police release footage showing moment alleged car thief flees, caught by police in Alice Springs
December 30, 3pm: Dramatic footage showing the moment an accused car thief was caught – ending an hours-long game of cat and mouse – has been released by Northern Territory police.
Northern Territory police released the footage Monday afternoon, showing the moment a stolen white Subaru comes to halt in an alleyway on Ashwin St, Alice Springs.
A youth exits the vehicle and runs through the laneway, while a police officer gives chase.
The youth is then stopped and apprehended by an officer who was in a vehicle at the other end of the laneway
Earlier on Monday, police said three youths, two of which are aged 12, and another aged 15, were arrested “without incident” in relation to the stolen car.
“The two 12-year-olds were conveyed home into the care of a responsible adult, and the 15-year-old was dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act (2005),” police said.
Southern Watch Commander Deanne Ward said the car was stolen between 9–9.50am on Sunday.
Police did not give a time as to when the arrest took place.
Police said the vehicle was sighted at 12.30am Monday – roughly 15 hours after it was stolen.
Brief blaze decimates punters firewood collection
December 30, 12pm: Winter is set to be a whole lot colder for one resident in Alice Springs, after a brief blaze decimated his firewood collection – but luckily left the rest of his house unscathed.
The fire started just after 10.30am on Monday on the empty land at the back of Holtermann Ct in Larapinta, with fireys extinguishing it just after 11am.
The fire crossed the fence of a home, where it destroyed a homeowner’s firewood collection, and melted some clothes.
Speaking to this masthead, the homeowner, who did not want to be named, said the fire could’ve been much worse.
He floated a theory the fire could have been deliberately lit, but Alice Springs Fire and Emergency Services acting station officer Anna Stephen said after speaking to other residents, no one saw “any persons of interest in the area”.
She said the cause of the fire was “undetermined” and no injuries were reported, nor were any structures – other than the fence and firewood – damaged.
Three youths arrested after car allegedly stolen in Red Centre
December 30, 8.30am: Three boys have been arrested following a daylong hunt for an allegedly stolen car in Alice Springs.
Southern Watch Commander Deanne Ward said the youths allegedly broke into a Braitling residence and stole the car between 9–9.50am on Sunday.
The car – a 2024 white Subaru Forester – was later spotted driving around Alice Springs, Acting Senior Sergeant Ward said.
Officers used tyre deflation devices to puncture two of the car’s wheels, but the car continued driving.
Sergeant Ward said the car was then pursued and recovered about 1am Monday in Gillen after it drove through the locked gates of Alice Springs Desert Park.
All three occupants of the vehicle were arrested — two 12-year-old boys and a 15-year-old teenage boy.
The two boys were taken home and returned into the care of a responsible adult, while the 15-year-old will be dealt with under the provisions of the law, NT Police said.
Crossbow killer sentenced after mistaken identity mix-up
A young father who fired a crossbow into the heart of a man from a feuding family has been sentenced after allowing his friend to take the blame for the fatal shot.
Red Centre woman reported threats hours before rape, but cops a no-show
An Aboriginal woman who was protected by a domestic violence order called police to report threats from her husband, but no officers were dispatched. Twelve hours later, he raped her as she slept.