A total of 15 people, mostly teens, were arrested yesterday by NT Police involving Strike Force Trident and the dog unit for a series of separate property offices including multiple stolen vehicles and ram-raids.

Initially, six offenders—aged between 14 and 16 years old—were tracked down by patrol dogs after stealing a Toyota Hilux from Yarrawonga. Police said the stolen vehicle was seen being driven haphazardly through the city before slamming into another vehicle. The group attempted to escape by running into the Winnellie area where they were discovered by police dogs and arrested.

Police said the group had attempted to enter several business establishments before stealing the vehicle which was used to unsuccessfully ram into another business’s front gate.

The youths attempted to escape through thick mangroves into waist-deep water on Tiger Brennan Drive before being sniffed out by the dogs. All were later charged with multiple property offences.

A further nine people, aged between 14 and 50-years-old, were also arrested in a separate incident after allegedly engaging in an overnight crime spree that included stealing several vehicles and ram-raiding a fuel station at Acacia Hills using one of the two stolen Toyota Land cruisers and proceeding to steal goods worth thousands of dollars.

The group then unlawfully entered another business establishment in Winnellie and stole another Toyota Landcruiser, ramming it into other vehicles to exit the establishment causing extensive damage inside the property.

The offenders stole another five land cruisers from across the Greater Darwin Region before being apprehended by different police divisions in bushland near the Strauss Airstrip at Noonamah after an outer cordon was established and tyre spikes deployed.

Police said the combined teams tailed a fresh dirt track into thick bushland where seven of the offenders were arrested while sleeping inside two of the stolen vehicles.

A follow-up operation resulted in the recovery of another two vehicles at Adelaide River before the police teams received information of a fuel drive-off at Daly River, where another two youths were arrested and taken back to Darwin after their stolen vehicle was stuck in soft mud.

“In addition to the vehicles located, local police in Wadeye have also located another vehicle and investigations are continuing with more arrests expected soon,” Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Bland said.

“This is yet another fantastic example of different police units working together to bring justice for the community.”