An additional five teens from Tamworth have been charged following a co-ordinated investigation into alleged multiple break and enters and numerous police pursuits across the western and northern regions of the state.
Operation Regional Mongoose is a high-visibility police operation to tackle serious property-related crime, committed predominately by young offenders.
About 9.40pm on Tuesday 21 May 2024, officers from Oxley Police District received information that a white VW Tiguan and a grey Audi A3 sedan allegedly stolen vehicles from the Mid North Coast region were travelling towards Tamworth.
Police tried to stop the vehicles at Nemingha, but the pursuit was terminated at East Tamworth due to safety concerns.
About 1.15am the next day, police responded to reports of both vehicles being seen in Raglan Street, East Tamworth. These two stolen vehicles were seen with another three vehicles, a Toyota Hilux, a Holden Equinox and an Audi Q3, which were stolen from a house at Raglan Street during an aggravated break and enter allegedly committed a short time earlier.
About 4.00am, police received reports a white Mercedes sedan and a silver BMW wagon had been allegedly stolen during a break and enter at Prentice Avenue, East Tamworth.
Officers from Oxley Police District Proactive Crime Team commenced investigations into the incidents.
Following inquiries, police arrested two boys and a girl, all aged 13 - and a 14-year-old girl.
One boy was charged with four offences - be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner and three counts of fraud.
A second boy was charged with drive conveyance taken without consent of owner and breach of bail.
Both girls were charged with be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner.
All four were refused bail to appear in a childrens court today (Thursday 23 May 2024).
About 7.25am on Wednesday 22 May 2024, a 16-year-old boy was arrested following a pursuit at Kew, near Port Macquarie and taken to Port Macquarie police station where he was charged with receiving stolen property. He was refused bail to appear in a children's court today (Thursday 23 May 2024), which granted him conditional bail to appear at the same Court on 3 June 2024.
These arrests, follow the arrest of five teenage boys, aged between 15 and 17, on the Mid North Coast on Wednesday (22 May 2024).
Police would like to thank the public for their assistance, and are urging anyone with information about the incidents to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Inquiries under Operation Regional Mongoose continue and further arrests are expected.
Anyone with information about Operation Regional Mongoose is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
