Police have charged two teenagers with a number of offences in the 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 5am on (Monday 10 June), a Jaguar station wagon was stolen from the driveway of a home in North Kiama Drive, Kiama Downs.
About 9.15am, the following day (Tuesday 11 June 2024), the car was found in parklands off Hillside Drive, Albion Park.
About 8am yesterday (Tuesday 9 July 2024), police executed a search warrant at a home in Albion Park and arrested a 16-year-old male.
He was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station where he was charged with seven offences - steal motor vehicle, take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, be carried in conveyance taken w/o consent of owner, participate criminal group contribute criminal activity, drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous, driver use mobile phone when not permitted and never licensed person drive vehicle on road.
He was refused bail and appeared before a Children's Court yesterday (Tuesday 9 July), where the matter was finalised.
He was also issued a court attendance notice for larceny, to appear at a Children's Court on Tuesday 23 July 2024.
In a separate incident, about 8am today (Wednesday 10 July 2024), officers executed a search warrant at a home in Koonawarra.
A 14-year-old boy was arrested and taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station.
He was charged with two counts of aggravated break and enter dwelling etc in company steal
He was refused bail to appear in a Children's Court today (Wednesday 10 July).
Police will allege the 14-year-old was involved in two break-ins in Kiama and Calderwood in May, before allegedly being involved in the theft of two cars.
Investigations as part of Operation Regional Mongoose continue, with more arrests 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.
Anyone with information about this incident 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.
