Police wrap: Break-ins continue to plague Central Australia on Thursday

NT Police were called to another spate of residential break-ins overnight, with a Holden Commodore sedan and other items stolen.

BREAK-INS continued to plague Central Australia on Thursday night with one taking place in Alice Springs and another in Tennant Creek.

The Alice Springs break-in took place on Bokhara St in Larapinta between 11am on Wednesday and 5.30am on Thursday.

The point of entry was an insecure sliding door and two sets of keys and a grey Holden Commodore Sedan were stolen from the premises.

The vehicle was later recovered in the early hours of Friday morning left abandoned on the corner of Nelson Tce and Zeil St in Araluen.

Another break-in took place on Peko Rd in Tennant Creek at 7.30pm on Thursday evening.

The occupant of the address heard a bang which led him to investigate his kitchen where he found two males who immediately fled the location. Nothing was stolen.

These follow three break-ins in East Side and Sadadeen earlier in the week.

Driver caught mid range DUI doing 143km/h in 90km/h zone on Stuart Hwy

A driver of a red ford utility was pulled over after driving at 143km/h down the Stuart Highway on Thursday evening.

Around 9pm the vehicle was detected by Darwin traffic members on the Stuart Highway near Berrimah after recording a speed of 143km/h in a 90km/h zone.

Police stopped the vehicle and spoke to the 24-year-old male driver.

A roadside breath test indicated the presence of alcohol with a further test at the Palmerston Watch House returning a medium range blood alcohol result of .085 percent.

He was summoned to appear in court at a later date.

Watch Commander Xavier McMahon said it was concerning for the driver to be driving at such dangerous speeds under the influence.

“For this driver to be traveling at such a dangerous speed combined with the fact he was under the influence of alcohol, is quite concerning.”

Police kept busy with three separate home break-ins

NT Police had a busy 24-hours after three separate homes in East Side and Sadadeen were broken into in Alice Springs.

NT Police Senior Sergeant Allan Milner said the East Side break-in happened on Raggatt St on Wednesday between the hours of 3.30am and 4am.

“The point of entry was a fly screen and it was damaged to enter a kitchen window,” S/Sgt Milner said.

“Stolen was a bunch of assorted keys, including keys to a 2014 Honda CRV motor vehicle.

“Forensics attended the scene and approximately three hours later the vehicle was recovered in Sadadeen.”

S/Sgt Milner said the second break-in occurred on Reiff Ct in Sadadeen on Wednesday between 8am and 3.30pm.

“A fly screen was removed as a point of entry and damage was caused to a bedroom window to gain access,” he said.

“Stolen was electrical items, so gaming consoles and speakers, forensics attended that scene as well.”

S/Sgt Milner said the third break-in for the 24-hours happened on Triodia Ct in Sadadeen on Wednesday between 4.55pm and 7.30pm.

“A bedroom window was (smashed) damaged to gain entry into residence,” he said. “Forensics attended that as well and it appeared that no property was stolen from that residence.”

S/Sgt Milner would like to remind all residence to secure their house and keep valuables out of sight.

“When you’re at home, secure your keys somewhere, don’t leave them on the bench or out in the open or on any kitchen tables, actually put them away somewhere … unfortunately,” he said.

“We haven’t caught anyone in relation to the three multiple unlawful entries.” Police continue to investigate.

Exclusive: Police top brass silent on whether there are enough bulletproof vests to go around

NT Police has refused to say whether it has enough bullet proof vests to go around after the Supreme Court heard a number of officers were reluctant to engage with an active shooter because they were not carrying one at the time.

Several police witnesses have testified in the murder trial of Ben Hoffmann that they were not carrying bullet proof vests when they were tasked with responding to multiple reports of shots fired on the night of his alleged killing spree in 2019.

Hoffmann has pleaded not guilty to all charges including four counts of murder and in giving evidence at his trial on Monday, Senior Constable Merwan Kazem told the jury he was present at the Buff Club when one of the fatal shots was fired but withdrew to wait for backup while he searched in his vehicle for a vest.

“I was looking out the back of my vehicle for a vest and so forth but I noticed a vehicle leaving the area, I remember focusing strongly on the rego plate,” he said.

“By the time that happened the vehicle had gone.”

In response to a series of questions from the NT News, Assistant Commissioner Bruce Porter said if “for some reason” an officer was not issued with a vest, they should carry one in their car anyway but did not respond to a direct question about whether there were enough.

“The NT Police Force (NTPF) is committed to ensuring all officers are issued with appropriate operational safety equipment and specific training and are qualified in the use of operational safety equipment,” he said.

“The NTPF provides both ballistic vests and Enhanced Load Bearing Vests (ELBV) for use by officers.

“The ELBV forms part of an officers’ personal protective equipment and is issued to provide protection against ballistic threats and edged weapons.”

Mr Porter said while the ELBV was part of an officer’s kit, he could not guarantee one would always be available and did not say why some officers were issued with one while others were not.

“All operational officers provided with an ELBV are trained in the use and wearing of the ELBV,” he said.

“If for some reason an officer has not been issued an ELBV or the ELBV is not available, they are to carry a ballistic vest in the police vehicle with them so that it is immediately available to be worn when attending critical incidents.

“While it is not mandatory, it is highly recommended that officers issued with an ELBV wear it whenever on duty.”

A spokesman later confirmed the policy had not changed since 2019 but could not explain why the officers in question on the day were not carrying vests.

On Tuesday, Constable Kevin Rankine told the court he was carrying a vest in his car on the day of the shootings and ignored a direction to disengage but was ultimately unsuccessful in finding the gunman.

”We ignored the sergeant’s direction because we heard the additional shots and thought, ‘F*** it, let’s go’,” he said.

A spokesman for the NT Police Association said the union understood “all frontline members are issued a vest which has a ballistic capability”.

“Nothing appears to have changed in that regard based on member feedback to date,” he said.

Hoffmann’s trial continues.