Teens arrested over ‘crime spree’ that ended with alleged attack on delivery driver

UPDATE:Four youths have been arrested in relation to a overnight crime spree in Alice Springs where they allegedly smashed in the a car windscreen while a couple and their young child were still inside.

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UPDATE: Four youths have been arrested in relation to a overnight crime spree in Alice Springs where they allegedly smashed in the a car windscreen while a couple and their young child were still inside.

Strike Force Viper arrested four youths on Tuesday morning in relation to a series of criminal and property offences committed in Alice Springs on Monday night.

Investigations identified the four aged 10, 13, 13 and 14-years-old were involved in an incident where a group of upwards of 15 youths approached a 28-year-old female patron in a carpark off Railway Terrace, where they allegedly assaulted her before stealing her handbag and food from inside her vehicle.

It will be alleged the group then set upon a 43-year-old male delivery driver who attempted to help the woman and intervened.

A delivery driver was robbed by a group of youths on Monday night. Picture: Facebook

The group threw rocks and physically assaulted the man who attempted to flee the area in his vehicle, clipping one of the youth who is alleged to have then jumped on the man’s vehicle and thrown rocks and kicked the windscreen, before the man drove away to safety.

Inside the vehicle at the time of the incident was the man’s wife and young child.

The group of youths left the area prior to multiple police units responding, and continued on to cause further criminal damage and property offending including the criminal damage of three vehicles parked out the front of a gym on Gregory Terrace, and the property damage and assault of two people at a restaurant in the Todd Mall.

Detective Senior Sergeant Evan Kelly from Strike Force Viper said members would today continue their investigations and identify those involved in the offending.

“Following the initial work done by general duties members, Strike Force Viper have today identified four of the main offenders in the group and those people are now in police custody,” he said.

“This level of offending is cause for concern, due to the blatant desire for destruction and brazen disregard for the safety of others.”

“We will continue to work to identify the others involved in this offending and urge anyone who has information, dashcam or phone footage which may assist with investigations, to contact police on 131 444.”

EARLIER: A delivery driver was robbed overnight by a group of youths as the driver got back into their vehicle.

Alice Springs police are searching for three main suspects who were involved in the robbery.

Alice Springs Watch Commander Acting Senior Sergeant Jared Thompson said the robbery occurred on Railway Terrace around 7.45pm.

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“A group of youths accosted a delivery person while they were getting in to their vehicle and stole a bag,” he said.

A/Sen Sgt Thompson said the driver was assaulted during the incident as well as another person who came to the driver’s aid.

A member of the public who witnessed the assault attempted to provide assistance to the victim.

He was also set upon by the group who threw rocks at the man, causing damage to his vehicle, which was occupied by his wife and child at the time.

The man suffered non-life threatening injuries as a result of the assault.

The group fled the scene and it is alleged they walked to a restaurant in the Todd Mall and caused further damage before assaulting two people from inside.

A/Sen Sgt Thompson said the incident was caught on CCTV and Strike Force Viper officers were investigating.

Members of Striker Force Viper are currently investigating the incident and urge any members of the public with dashcam or phone footage from the areas of Railway Terrace or Gregory Terrace between the time period of 7:30pm and 9pm, to contact them on 131 444.

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