Source : Perth Now news
Two teens have been arrested over their alleged involvement in a dangerous driving spree across a Northern Territory town.
Police have arrested two teenage boys in relation to a dangerous driving incident that took place in Katherine on Thursday night.
One, a 13-year-old boy, was arrested and charged with stealing a vehicle, theft and driving in a dangerous manner at about 10:50pm on Friday.
The other, a 15-year-old boy, was arrested at about 12:30am on Saturday and was charged with riding in a stolen vehicle and a breach of bail.
The pair were arrested after a black Volkswagen was stolen from outside a business on Katherine Terrace on Thursday.
The car was seen driving at dangerously high speeds on the Victoria Highway and through Katherine, with witnesses saying they saw several young people hanging out the car from the windows.
Police made the decision not to pursue the car for the risk it may pose to members of the community.
“When assessing whether to pursue a vehicle, police must carefully balance enforcement action against the potential risk to innocent road users, pedestrians and the wider community,” Acting Assistant Commissioner James Gray-Spence said.
“In this instance, officers made a deliberate decision to prioritise public safety. Rather than escalating the situation through a pursuit, they focused on gathering evidence, identifying those involved and progressing the investigation.”
At around 8:50pm, eight hours after the car was initially allegedly stolen, the car collided with a fence on Stutterd Street in Katherine South.
Police said seven young people exited the car and fled from the scene and that they had identified three suspects as of Friday.
“The behaviour displayed yesterday was extremely concerning and created an unacceptable risk to members of the Katherine community,” Mr Gray-Space said.
“Police have already identified three suspects, and we are actively working to identify and locate all remaining offenders.”
“We will continue to pursue every available investigative avenue to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
The two young boys remain in police custody and will face court at a later date.
Police are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
