Northern Territory Police have arrested multiple offenders after a crime series across the Greater Darwin Area overnight.
On Tuesday evening, between 15 - 20 male youths travelled from the Western Daly Region to Adelaide River where they unlawfully entered a school and stole a bus that was then used to travel to Darwin.
The bus was abandoned in Berrimah before the group allegedly entered the yard of a business on Moo Street and stole 2 vehicles, ramming the gate with the vehicles to exit the property.
The vehicles were used to drive to Winnellie where they attended multiple businesses, stealing a Toyota Landcruiser utility and ramming through the gate at one business, stealing a Ford Fiesta sedan from another business and causing damage at multiple other businesses.
The same group of offenders continued to steal further cars which included a Landcruiser Troop Carrier from a licenced premises on Gilruth Avenue and another Landcruiser Troop Carrier from a residence in Nakara. Several of the stolen vehicles were then abandoned in Nakara and at the Casuarina Coastal Reserve.
Around 3am, both Landcruiser Troop Carriers drove into a cordon set by Strike Force Trident and Dog Operations Unit (DOU). A pursuit was initiated through Berry Springs before one of the vehicles turned and drove back toward Darwin and the second continued south of Darwin.
A tyre deflation device (TDD) was successfully deployed in the Acacia Hills area on the Stuart Highway, with two offenders aged 15 and 16 apprehended after a foot chase.
A short time later, an older model Landcruiser failed to stop at the second cordon and a pursuit was initiated which resulted in a 16-year-old male being apprehended.
Around 7:30am, another Landcruiser utility failed to stop at a traffic cordon and a pursuit was commenced. A TDD was deployed with the offender deliberately ramming into a police vehicle, rendering it inoperable.
Four youths aged 15, 15, 15 and 16 were apprehended at the scene.
Further investigation indicated that both utilities had been stolen overnight from a facility in Acacia Hills on the Stuart Highway.
Trident later arrested two males in the Casuarina area aged 16 and 17 in connection with the offending.
Senior Sergeant Dale Motter-Barnard said, "These offenders have conducted extensive property offences across the Greater Darwin Region and caused significant damage.
"We have now recovered 7 of the 8 stolen vehicles and have 9 offenders in custody.
"Dog Operations Unit and General Duties members from Adelaide River and Batchelor played a major part in these apprehensions.
"We will continue to investigate and expect further arrests today and tomorrow.
"If anyone has any CCTV or dashcam footage of these offences, please contact 131 444 or you can report anonymously through crime stoppers on 1800 333 000."
