A teenager has been charged following an alleged incident in the State's Illawarra, as part of Operation Regional Mongoose.
Operation Regional Mongoose is a high-visibility police operation to tackle serious property-related crime committed predominately by young offenders.
In June 2024, Regional Mongoose was established in the Illawarra to investigate offenders across the Wollongong and Lake Illawarra Police Districts, with assistance from the Region Enforcement Squad.
About 3pm (Wednesday 24 July 2024), officers attached to Wollongong Police District were called to a mosque on Foley Street, Gwynneville, following reports of extensive vandalism.
Police were told internal and external walls of the location were broken and damaged.
Officers established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Following inquiries, about 1pm yesterday (Tuesday 30 July 2024), officers attached to Operation Regional Mongoose arrested a 14-year-old boy at a Children's Court.
He was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station and charged with three counts of destroy/damage property in company and enter enclosed land not prescribed without lawful excuse. He was also charged with affray and two counts of shoplifting.
He was granted conditional bail to appear at a Children's Court on Tuesday 18 August 2024.
Police will also allege in court, the 14-year-old was involved in a number of offences in June and July, including graffitiing North Wollongong Railway Station.
