NT Police hunting man who allegedly indecently assaulted teenager in Alice Springs
NT Police on the hunt for man alleged to have indecently assaulted a teenage girl in an Alice Spring suburb in broad daylight. Read the latest.
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, up to the Barkly.
October 12, 11am: Police are hunting for a man alleged to have indecently assaulted a teenage girl in Alice Springs.
The man approached the 15-year-old and allegedly indecently assaulted her on Lindsay Ave in East Side between 3pm and 3.45pm on Friday.
He is described as being of Aboriginal appearance, and he had been wearing a red shirt with sunglasses on his head,
In a statement, NT Police said the Southern Child Abuse Taskforce were investigating, and were making “every effort” to find the man.
Police urge any witnesses with information or dash cam footage of the incident or of a person matching the description to come forward.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444 and quote reference NTP2400102472.
“Northern Territory Police encourage parents to have regular conversations with their children about stranger danger and to report any suspicious behaviour to the police,” an NT Police spokesperson said.
Escaped prisoner cut off ankle monitor, fled into outback
October 11, 6.30am: A 29 year-old prisoner has been charged after he allegedly cut off his electronic monitoring device before fleeing into the outback.
About 4pm on October 10, the NT Police received reports a prisoner of the Barkly work camp had escaped.
Officers from both corrections and police searched for the prisoner, who was caught 5pm the same day.
The man was arrested and taken to Tennant Creek watch house.
NT Police charged the man with unlawfully escaping police custody.
A police spokesperson said he will be transferred to the Alice Springs correctional facility on Friday.
Police say fire which caused building evacuation at hospital still under investigation
October 10, 4pm: Northern Territory police say a fire which caused the evacuation of a hospital building in the Red Centre “does not appear suspicious” as they’re investigate into it continues.
Police said an Alice Springs Hospital technical building was evacuated Wednesday afternoon after they received reports of a fire in a workshop.
Firefighters extinguished a “small electrical fire”, police said, and no injuries were reported.
The building was ventilated afterwards, police said.
A fire investigator will determine the cause of the fire, police said, but “at this stage it does not appear to be suspicious”.
BP Sadadeen smashed in by two men, leaving behind trail of blood and glass
October 10, 10am: A break-in has shut an Alice Springs service station for the day, with the thieves leaving behind a trail of broken glass and blood – all for $20 worth of goods, police allege.
Sadadeen BP, on the corner of Spearwood Rd and Grevillea Drive, has shut its doors for the day as staff clean up from a break in on Wednesday night.
Thick glass shards and droplets of blood, including blood smeared on the glass door, were still covering the ground at the scene on Thursday morning.
Southern Watch Acting Senior Sergeant Deanne Ward alleged the culprits were two men who caused “senseless damage” by smashing the front doors of the shop to gain entry.
Once inside, they allegedly smashed the front doors of a freezer inside, she said.
Their alleged haul: “about $20 worth of goods”, Ms Ward said.
They fled the scene in a white Holden Commodore before police and security arrived.
At 9am on Thursday, three staff were inside the store cleaning up after the carnage.
The night service window, was also damaged.
A sign in the window, which also had a droplet of blood left behind on it said: “Due to increased theft we are now serving from the service window”.
They confirmed the store would be shut on the day.
Ms Ward said more information about the incidents would be released later today.
Alice Springs police investigating alleged assault of off-duty paramedic
October 10, 6am: An off-duty paramedic was allegedly assaulted by a man in the Red Centre overnight – while a pair caused “senseless damage” just to steal just $20 worth of loot in a separate incident.
Southern Watch Acting Senior Sergeant Deanne Ward said the alleged assault occurred “just after midnight” on Kurrajong Drive in Eastside, when the female paramedic was getting out of her car.
“As she exited her vehicle, she was punched and kicked by an unidentified male. She managed to fight back, before driving to the hospital,” Ms Ward said.
Ms Ward said police met her at the hospital, where they got her details and began their investigation.
No arrest has been made in relation to the alleged assault, and investigations continue.
Police are “still working on a description of the male”.
She said anyone with information should contact police, quoting reference number P24279413.
CCTV’s key role in alleged Red Centre burglar’s arrest
October 8, 6am: An 18-year-old man has been charged after he allegedly broke into an Alice Springs home.
Southern Watch Commander Marc Watson said the occupant of the Lyndavale Drive residence was alerted to the man’s unlawful entry of their home via CCTV about 8.30am on Tuesday.
Sergeant Watson said the occupant called police who attended the scene.
He said the alleged burglar fled when police arrived but was caught and arrested.
Sergeant Watson said the man had been charged with burglary, theft, and damage to property.
He said the man was denied bail and due to appear in the Alice Springs Local Court on Wednesday.
Firey’s save cat in Red Centre house fire – but cause yet determined
Latest, October 8, 10.15am: A house fire which caused “substantial damage” in the Red Centre is still under investigation but “is not believed to be suspicious”, Northern Territory police say.
A house on McKinlay St in Braitling, Alice Springs, caught fire Monday afternoon just after 1pm.
The house “sustained substantial damage as a result of the fire”, police said.
“No persons were inside the residence at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported,” police said.
“The cause of the fire is still under investigation, however it is not believed to be suspicious at this time.”
The fire was extinguished by just before 3pm.
Initial, October 7, 6pm: A house fire in Alice Springs has seen no one injured, attending firey’s say, and an important member of the house saved: the cat.
Just after 1pm on Monday afternoon Northern Territory Fire and Rescue service were called to a house fire on McKinlay Street in Braitling.
The fire was extinguished just before 3pm, with attending firefighters confirming to this masthead no one had been injured.
The house was empty except for a cat, the firefighter said, which was also rescued uninjured.
Thick shrub at the front of the home was not damaged in the fire and the front of the house appeared unscathed.
The cause of the fire was yet to be determined, the firefighter said, and would not answer questions on the condition of the home.
Police and fire investigators were on the scene.
Northern Territory Police, Fire, and Emergency Services were contacted for comment.
Cops hunt for scooter snatched from 27-year-old in ‘aggravated robbery’
October 7, 5pm: Northern Territory police say they are looking for a black electric scooter after it was “physically pulled” from a woman in an aggravated robbery in Alice Springs.
Police said two youths took the scooter from a 27-year-old woman who was riding it on Kempe Street, Friday, October 4, around 11.15pm at The Gap.
The youth allegedly blocked her path, police said, before “demanding she hand over her scooter”.
One of the youths then “struck her on the wrist”, police said, and “physically pulled the scooter from her grasp”.
“Police subsequently arrested two male youths, both aged 13, in the early hours of Saturday morning in relation to a separate incident and are working to establish any link between the arrest and the robbery,” police said.
The woman was not injured, police said, but her black Segway-Ninebot Electric KickScooter “remains outstanding” while Strike Force Viper investigate the incident.
“Its last known location was on Hartley Street in the early hours of Saturday morning,” police said.
Police are urging anyone with more information – such as dashcam footage or CCTV – to get in touch on 131 444, quoting reference number NTP2400099908.
Anonymous reports can also be made to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.
Elderly woman successfully fends off handbag thief
October 7, 8am: A 76-year-old woman has fought off a teen who tried to steal her handbag outside a shopping centre.
Southern Watch Commander Marc Watson said the woman was sitting in her car outside the East Side shops about 9pm Saturday when the boy approached her.
Sergeant Watson said the teen opened one of the woman’s car doors and “snatched” her handbag.
He said the woman chased and caught the teen but was punched in her shoulder.
Sergeant Watson said the boy fled the scene, leaving the woman’s handbag behind.
He said cops’ initial inquiries had identified a suspect and police would be “paying him a visit in the near future”.
In a separate incident, Sergeant Watson said police had arrested a 25-year-old man after he allegedly attacked a security guard.
He alleged the man had been walking through the CBD “acting aggressively” towards members of the public about 12.15pm Sunday.
Sergeant Watson said the man allegedly entered a shopping centre but was escorted off the premises by a security guard.
He said the man allegedly attacked the guard once they were outside on Hartley St, punching him and hitting him multiple times with a 1.5m tree branch.
Sergeant Watson alleged police reviewed CCTV footage of the incident and confirmed the man swung the tree branch at the security guard “at least ten times” and mad contact four times.
He said the security guard was able to apprehend the man before police arrived to arrest the alleged offender.
Sergeant Watson said the man had been charged with going armed in public,
assault a worker, and disorderly behaviour in a public place.
He said the man would face the Alice Springs Local Court on Monday.
Originally published as NT Police hunting man who allegedly indecently assaulted teenager in Alice Springs
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