Two more teens out on bail were arrested Tuesday for allegedly breaking into a Nightcliff home and stealing a car, after police tracked one of the offenders through his electronic monitoring device, NT Police said, which comes amid increased scrutiny of how repeat offenders are being dealt with through the youth criminal court.

A 13-year-old and a 17-year-old were charged with a string of offences, including aggravated unlawful entry, aggravated unlawful use of a motor vehicle, stealing and serious breach of bail.

NT Police said the teens were seen roaming the streets of Nightcliff before breaking into a home on Nightcliff Road where they stole a “number of personal items” and the keys to a grey Toyota Camry that they then drove around Darwin and Palmerston between 3am and 6:30am, stopping at a fuel station in Malak.

Police said Strike Force Trident detectives “were able to live track one of the offenders through his electronic monitoring device, leading to a quick arrest” where the teens were found with the stolen property.

Both teens were remanded to appear in local court today.

The NT Independent revealed on Monday that the youth court – which the NT Government closed from the public in 2019 – was full of young offenders with multiple charges for aggravated robbery and serious breaches of bail.

Eighteen young offenders were fronting the youth court on Monday alone, charged with 28 violent robbery offences between them – with one offender alone also facing 13 serious breach of bail charges.

According to Monday’s youth court list, two young offenders were facing three aggravated robbery charges between them and 24 serious breach of bail charges, with most of those related to breaking curfew and breaching the terms of their electronic monitoring devices.

The shock figures, that are usually suppressed from the public, showed youth are repeatedly being bailed and committing serious offences after being released, including assaulting workers causing harm and a surprising number of aggravated unlawful use of vehicle charges.

Sources involved in the NT’s crime and justice systems told the NT Independent that violent robberies committed by youths have increased substantially over the last few years.