Three teens have been charged following a week-long targeted operation in Tamworth and Gunnedah.
Operation Regional Mongoose ran from Monday 22 August 2022 to Saturday 3 September 2022 to target property and break and enter offences, and vehicle thefts throughout the Gunnedah and Tamworth areas.
During the operation, a firearm was seized and three teenagers were charged.
About 4.50pm on Monday 29 August 2022, officers attempted to stop a Toyota Corolla sedan travelling along Kent Street, South Tamworth.
When the vehicle – which is alleged to have been stolen – failed to stop, a pursuit was initiated and continued through Tamworth.
The vehicle came to a stop on Robert Street, South Tamworth, about 5pm, where the driver – a 13-year-old boy – was arrested and taken to Tamworth Police Station where he was charged with robbery, take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, police pursuit – not stop – drive at speed and never licensed person drive vehicle on road.
He was granted conditional bail and will appear at a children’s court on 6 September 2022.
About 9am on Wednesday 31 August 2022, police executed a search warrant at a home on Cossa Street, West Tamworth where a firearm was located and seized for forensic examination.
A 15-year-old boy was arrested a short time later on Green Street, West Tamworth, and taken to Tamworth Police Station where he was charged with possess unregistered firearm-not pistol/prohibited firearm.
He was refused bail and will appear at a children’s court on Tuesday 18 October 2022.
About 1.45am on Thursday 25 August 2022, a male allegedly entered a home on North Street, Armidale, and left a short time later taking car keys and a Mitsubishi Pajero.
Police were notified and, following inquiries, officers attempted to stop the Mitsubishi on Niagara Street, Armidale when it allegedly failed to stop.
A pursuit was initiated and continued to Cossa Street, where it stopped and the driver and only occupant fled on foot.
About 9.45am, a 16-year-old boy was arrested on Butler Lane, Armidale, and taken to Armidale Police Station, where he was charged with aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence-people there, take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously, and never licensed person drive vehicle on road.
He was refused bail and will appear at a children’s court on Thursday 20 October 2022.
Investigations will continue under Operation Western Mongoose.
Operation Western Mongoose consists of officers from the Proactive Crime Team, detectives, the Crime Prevention Unit within Oxley Police District, Western Region Enforcement Squad, Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, Youth Command and the Dog Unit.
