Rocks were thrown at police and the public in Alice crime spree

Police are checking whether two vehicle thefts in Alice Springs overnight were related. Read what happened.

Northern Territory Police in Alice Springs. Picture: Gera Kazakov

September 29: An 11-year-old boy allegedly involved in a car theft and rock-throwing spree was released by police overnight ahead of tough new laws lowering the NT age of criminal responsibility.

The boy was one of seven youths apprehended by police overnight in Alice Springs after a security guard’s blue Holden Cruze was stolen at knifepoint about 1.32am on Sunday.

Southern Watch commander acting senior sergeant Marc Watson said the security guard was conducting foot patrols at Olive Pink Botanic Gardens on Sunday morning when he was approached by seven youths throwing roccks, before a knife was used to demand the guard hand over his car keys.

Police received a number of reports of the stolen vehicle being driven dangerously in Alice Springs CBD before officers began pursuing the Cruze at 2.21am just south of the town.

Police eventually stopped the vehicle and took a 15-year-old, a 14-year-old, two 13-year-olds and two 12-year-olds into custody pending charges.

The 11-year-old boy could not be detained due to his age.

The new NT Government is expected to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 10 when parliament resumes next month.

Earlier on Saturday, police responded to the theft of a black Toyota Corolla about 4.14pm from a home in East Side.

About 10.30pm the vehicle was seen being driven eratically in the CBD with the occupants throwing rocks at a number of police vehicles.

About 20 minutes later, the same vehicle was reported chasing two other cars along Gregory Terrace, with rocks thrown from the Corolla causing panel and window damage to the other cars.

The Corolla was then driven towards a police vehicle with rocks smashing windows and damaging panels before the occupants turned their attention to stoning members of the public. The vehicle driver then chased a police vehicle along Spearwood Road, before the car was found abandoned on Bradshaw Terrace.

Sen Sgt Watson said it was unclear at this stage whether the incident involving the Cruze and the Corolla were related.

Police commander James Gray-Spence said officers from Operation Archer attended both incidents.

“Operation Archer will continue in Alice Springs, both investigating overnight offences and also generating significant proactive activity, targeting an established list of wanted offenders,” he said.

“Operation Archer demonstrates our steadfast commitment to reduce all crime with coordinated responses using all available frontline, investigative and specialist capabilities.

“Thank you to police and frontline workers who deploy each and every night in Alice Springs responding to significant incidents. Your dedicated team work keeping Alice Springs safe is appreciated by everyone in the community.”

Anybody with information should contact police on 131 444 or contact Crime Stoppers.

Officer sent to hospital with glass in eyes: Police

September 28, 12pm: A Northern Territory police officer has been released from Alice Springs hospital after a rock was thrown at a police car windscreen, leaving her with “glass debris in her eyes”.

Police said the incident occurred at 2am Saturday on Railway Tce in Alice Springs, when an allegedly stolen grey Toyota Corolla drove past a police vehicle and the passenger threw a rock at the windscreen.

Police said the vehicle was allegedly stolen at 10.10pm Friday, from a home in Eastside.

The car was seen driving erratically through Alice Springs, police said, but a pursuit was “terminated due to the dangerous behaviour of the offending vehicle”.

Commander James Gray-Spence commended the officer’s bravery, but blasted the alleged “disgusting” behaviour of the offenders.

“If you know something about this offending then you must come forward and assist police in taking action against these offenders who continue to place the community at risk,” he said.

Police said Strike Force Viper are investigating, and are urging anyone with information to get in contact on 131 444, quoting reference number P24267308.

Reports can also be made to Crime Stoppers.

Brazen spree: Police cars, security targeted in ’disgusting’ attacks

Smashed car window

September 27, 6am: Several cop cars have been rammed or damaged after a group of men and boys allegedly stole a car and launched a crime spree targeting police and security cars.

The incidents happened on the eve of National Police Remembrance Day.

Southern Watch Commander Marc Watson said the group allegedly stole a dark-coloured Nissan station wagon from a Gap home about 8.15pm on Thursday.

Sergeant Watson said the vehicle was allegedly spotted being driven dangerously through the Alice Springs CBD.

He said throughout the night, the group allegedly threw rocks at one police vehicle, rammed another, used wheelspanners to damage a third, and smashed the windows of two security cars.

Sergeant Watson said one of the vehicles was smashed right outside the police station.

He said a security officer had been inside one of the security cars and suffered injuries on his face as a result of broken glass hitting him in the face.

Sergeant Watson said no police officers were injured in the incidents but some were “shaken”.

He said police initiated a pursuit with the stolen vehicle about 2am on Friday.

Sergeant Watson alleged seven males got out of the vehicle and fled, but six were arrested.

Those arrested were aged 20, 18, 17, 16, 14, and 13.

They will likely be charged later on Friday, Sergeant Watson said.

He said investigations continued to identify and arrest the last alleged offender.

Commander James Gray-Spence at 9am Friday said the group’s alleged behaviour was “disgusting”.

“I commend the professionalism of those involved to swiftly apprehend six of the offenders,” he said.

“Strike Force Viper are investigating and urge anyone with information to contact police on 131 444 and quote reference NTP2400096652.”

NT police officer punched twice in chest by teenager

September 26, 6am: A teenager has been arrested after he allegedly assaulted a Northern Territory Police officer, punching them in the chest.

Southern Watch Commander Marc Watson said the boy was allegedly part of a “large disturbance” between two groups in Tennant Creek about 12.45am Thursday.

Sergeant Watson said police attended the Haddock St incident and attempted to arrest the 16-year-old boy for alleged behaving in a disorderly behaviour in public.

But he said the boy allegedly resisted arrest and punched a police member in the chest twice.

Sergeant Watson said the boy was eventually taken into custody and police expected to charge him with disorderly behaviour in a public place, resist arrest, and assault police.

He said no other injuries were reported and police had not arrested any other individuals.

Sergeant Watson said investigations into the incident were ongoing.

Alleged bank burglar arrested, charges to come

September 25, 6am: A man who allegedly broke into an Alice Springs bank has been arrested.

Southern Watch Commander Jared Thompson said the man in his 40s allegedly smashed a window by kicking it about 3.15am Wednesday.

Sergeant Thompson alleged the man was only inside the Gregory Tce bank for a few minutes before the alarms blared and he fled the scene.

He said police caught the man not far from the business and arrested him.

Sergeant Thompson said he expected the man would be charged with burglary and criminal damage.

Almost two dozen vehicles’ windows smashed at Red Centre business

September 24, 2pm: Up to 22 vehicles’ windows were smashed at an Alice Springs CBD business on the weekend.

Northern Territory Police are calling for information in relation to the alleged criminal damage that took place between Friday afternoon and Monday morning.

Investigators alleged multiple vehicles had their windows broken at a Bath St business during the incident.

Investigations were in their early stages, police said in a statement, and detectives from Strike Force Viper had taken multiple victim statements.

Anyone with information, or with CCTV or dashcam footage, is urged to contact 131 444 and quote P24262199.

‘Not sinister’: Caravan fire extinguished on highway

September 24, 8am: Police believe there was nothing “sinister” about a caravan fire on the back of a road train.

Police believe there was nothing “sinister” about a caravan fire on the back of a road train. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

Southern Watch Commander Jared Thompson said the caravan had been attached to the back of a road train about 50km south of Tennant Creek when the blaze started about 10pm Monday.

Sergeant Thompson said the Stuart Hwy was closed while the fire was contained but reopened about 1am.

He said the caravan’s owner put the unfortunate incident down to an “electrical fault” and police did not believe criminal activity was involved.

Sergeant Thompson said no one was injured in the fire.

Originally published as Rocks were thrown at police and the public in Alice crime spree