Bailed teen leads crime spree

[Tom]

A 17-year-old on bail for firearms offences is alleged to have led a gang on a three-day crime spree which totalled tens of thousands of dollars.

 

Goods totalling more than $70,000 were stolen during the rampage, which extended from Darwin to Katherine.

Police allege the 17-year-old male and three females, aged 15, 17 and 18, broke into several homes in Darwin's CBD after attending a party together last Friday night.

 

The gang is then believed to have stolen a vehicle in Darwin after the 17-year-old ringleader failed to report to police as a condition of his bail.

 

The gang members then drove to Katherine, where they allegedly carried out up to five break-and-enters before returning to Darwin in another stolen four-wheel-drive.

 

Police said while returning to Darwin they carried out three more break-ins at Pine Creek, which included the theft of about $5000 worth of gold nuggets.

 

The two vehicles were valued at $65,000.

 

A further $3000 worth of property also was stolen.

 

Police received information the teenagers used some of the nuggets to buy cannabis in Darwin.

 

Then the gang split up and the two 17-year-olds are believed to have driven to Daly River to offload some of the cannabis before heading back to Katherine via the back roads.

 

Daly River police spotted the stolen vehicle and arrested the pair last Monday.

 

The 15- and 17-year-old girls were arrested in Darwin. Police yesterday searched Rapid Creek and Leanyer homes, where the teenagers are understood to have swapped some of the gold nuggets for cannabis.

 

The alleged drug dealers tried to flush the cannabis, weighing up to 500g, down the toilet as police entered the home, but most of it was recovered.

 

Some of the nuggets also were recovered and two men, aged 29 and 30, were charged for drug offences.

 

The teenagers were charged with a total of 52 offences, including unlawful entry, stealing, unlawful use of motor vehicles and drug possession.

 

Author:Greg McLean

Date:April 14, 2005

Source:news.com.au

Copyright:Copyright 2005 News Limited.

 

[raverspec]

Yeah, we know all those drug users are hard core criminals at heart.

 

The drugs make them that way.

 

The media and politicians told me.

[Warped]

Heh...giving me images of those old propaganda posters and movies...the innocent girls corrupted to crime and sexual deviancy by the devil's drug...