Two boys are due in court next month charged with multiple offences alleged to have been committed in the State's north-west.
Officers attached to Central North Police District have been investigating after a Brewarrina supermarket was allegedly broken into on Sunday 9 March and Saturday 15 March 2025.
The next day (Sunday 16 March 2025), a vehicle was allegedly stolen and driven through the town before it was found abandoned on the outskirts of Brewarrina on Monday 17 March 2025.
Police were also investigating a separate report of a community store in Goodooga being broken into on Monday 24 March 2025.
When the Brewarrina supermarket was allegedly broken into on Saturday 29 March 2025, three boys, aged 13, 14 and 16, were arrested on scene but were released without charged pending further inquiries.
Following those inquiries, the two older boys were arrested yesterday (Friday 4 April 2025), and were taken to Bourke Police Station where they were charged in relation to the five alleged incidents.
A 14-year-old boy has been charged with six offences,
• Aggravated break and enter dwelling and steal in company (four counts)
• Take and drive conveyance taken without consent, and
• Enter building with intent to commit indictable offence.
A 16-year-old boy has now been charged with six offences,
• Aggravated break and enter dwelling and steal in company (three counts)
• Be carried in a conveyance taken without consent
• Enter building with intent to commit indictable offence, and
• Destroy or damage property.
The boys were granted conditional bail to appear in a children's court on Tuesday 6 May 2025.
A 13-year-old boy remains outstanding.
Operation Soteria was launched last month (March 2025) to address an escalation of violence in young offenders across Western and Northern parts of the State, with a focus on aggravated break, enter and steal offences, stealing motor vehicles and 'post and boast' offences where youths use social media to gain notoriety for their crimes.
A new unit of 60 police was formed as the operational arm, with additional officers from the NSW Police Crime Prevention and Youth Command engaging in community outreach and diversion efforts.
Anyone with information about youth crime is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au Information is managed on a confidential basis. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
