Three teenagers have been charged following a string of aggravated break and enters in the state's central west this month.
Officers attached to Central West Police District were called to an address on Murray Street, Orange, about 4.30am Friday 17 April 2026, with reports of a break and enter.
Police arrived and were told the keys to both a Nissan SUV and a Mercedes sedan had been stolen before an unknown group of people fled in the vehicles.
About 9.30am the same day the sedan was located on Bargwana Road, with the SUV being found on Bathurst Road the following morning.
About 5.30am on Friday 17 April 2026 a group of five unknown people allegedly forced entry into stores on Cecil Road and Elsham Avenue, Orange, by smashing glass windows.
About 8pm on Wednesday 22 April 2026, a group of unknown people allegedly forced entry into an aquatic centre on Hill Street, Orange.
Between 4.30am and 5.15am yesterday (Thursday 23 April 2026), a group of four unknown people allegedly broke into four businesses on Woodward, Byng and Hill Streets, Orange.
Officers attached to Central West Police District attended, established crime scenes and commenced investigations.
Police will allege the group forcefully entered the properties, stealing cash and damaging the premises, before leaving the scene in a stolen Hyundai SUV.
The vehicle was located abandoned on Amaroo Crescent, Orange, about 8.30am the same day and further inquiries found it had been reported as stolen from Summer Street earlier the same morning.
The vehicle was seized to be forensically examined.
Following inquiries, about 7.30am the same day Proactive Crime Team officers attended a home in Orange and arrested a 17-year-old boy.
He was taken to Orange Police Station where he charged with aggravated break and enter dwelling etc in company steal less than or equal to $60,000, aggravated break and enter dwelling etc in company intend steal less than or equal to $60,000, be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner and breach of bail.
The boy was refused bail to appear before a children's court yesterday (Thursday 23 April 2026), where he was granted conditional bail to reappear on Monday 4 May 2026.
About 9.20pm the same day, police arrested a 12-year-old boy in Orange. He was taken to Orange Police Station where he was charged with aggravated break and enter dwelling etc in company steal less than or equal to $60,000 and breach of bail.
The boy was refused bail to appear before a children's court yesterday (Thursday 23 April 2026), where he was granted conditional bail to reappear on Monday 1 June 2026.
About 3pm the same day, police executed a search warrant at a home in Orange where they arrested a 15-year-old boy. He was taken to Orange Police Station where he was charged with aggravated break and enter dwelling etc in company steal less than or equal to $60,000 (three counts), aggravated break and enter dwelling etc in company intend steal less than or equal to $60,000 (two counts), be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner (two counts), and breach of bail.
He was refused bail to face a children's court today (Friday 24 April 2026).
Police also issued a further two boys – aged 13 and 10 – Youth Cautions yesterday (Thursday 23 April 2026).
Investigations under Operation Soteria continue.
