Offices’ of Bill Yan and Jo Hersey in Alice Springs and Katherine broken into hours apart

Two politicians have had their offices at either end of the Territory broken into just hours apart, in what one is calling ‘petty stuff’ that’s ‘difficult to target’. Find out why.

Namatjira MLA Bill Yan’s Alice Springs office was broken into on Sunday, December 29, 2024. Picture: Gera Kazakov

A Red Centre politician says crime in Alice Springs is on a downward spiral, despite his office being broken into – hours after his Top End counterpart suffered the same fate.

On Sunday morning, Namatjira MLA Bill Yan’s office was broken into in Alice Springs.

Only hours earlier, on Saturday, Katherine MLA Jo Hersey suffered the same fate.

Namatjira MLA Bill Yan. Picture: Gera Kazakov

On Monday morning, police forensics were onsite in the building which houses Mr Yan’s office, on the corner of Gregory Tce and Bath St, Alice Springs.

Alongside Mr Yan, eight other businesses also use the building as office space.

Speaking with this masthead, Mr Yan said called the break-in “petty stuff” which is “really difficult to target”.

“The work that police are doing out in the suburbs (of Alice Springs) is working really well,” he said.

Glass on the ground from a smashed window in Namatjira MLA Bill Yan’s Alice Springs office. Picture: Gera Kazakov

“You can see that a lot of stuff has dropped away.

“But you just still see some of this petty stuff – it’s just broken windows here and there.

“You could have 1000 police and it would still be difficult to stop that stuff.”

Mr Yan said two doors in his office were damaged, which would be around $2000 to replace.

Glass still littered the floor of his office on Monday morning, but “nothing was taken” from, Mr Yan said.

Katherine MLA Jo Hersey announced her office was broken into on Facebook at 6.43am on December 28, 2024. Picture: Jo Hersey MLA/ Facebook

The break-in comes days after Mr Yan met with Police Commissioner Michael Murphy and Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro in Alice Springs on Friday.

Ms Hersey took to Facebook to inform the public her office was broken into – along with a number of other businesses, in what she called “a disappointing Christmas period for some”.

“I have spoken to the Chief Minister about a comprehensive and consistent approach to the crime happening here in Katherine,” she said.

“I look forward to more police arriving (in Katherine) and giving reprieve to our hard working police in town and also more from the next squad in training.”

A Northern Territory Police spokesperson confirmed nothing was stolen from the break-in at Mr Yan’s office.

“Investigations remain ongoing and police urge anyone with information to call 131 444,” they said.

Originally published as Offices’ of Bill Yan and Jo Hersey in Alice Springs and Katherine broken into hours apart