EMERGENCY REPORT
JOHN RYAN Volume crime
THERE’S a saying that old cops have when a heap of career crooks get out of jail at the same time – that there’s a ‘wave’ on the way.
One career crim can bust into multiple homes of law-abiding citizens each evening and steal keys to their cars, so a few of these undesirable individuals on the loose at the same time can create mini crime waves.
Other factors which can affect our city’s crime rates include crooks from other areas breezing into Dubbo to show the locals how it’s done.
In all these scenarios, police have to spend scarce time and resources to catch these crooks and lock them up.
Then it’s up to the courts, and what happens in court doesn’t always reflect what local residents want.
That being said, here’s some good work by local police during the past few days.
Car stolen, pursuit, arrest
ABOUT 12.10am on Saturday, April 23, police were patrolling East Dubbo when they saw a Nissan Navara which had been reported stolen.
They say the driver failed to stop for police so a pursuit was initiated through residential and industrial streets of Dubbo before being terminated due to safety concerns.
Officers found the vehicle again a short time later, and a second pursuit was initiated, before again being terminated.
The vehicle was later found abandoned on Potters Close and seized for forensic examination.
After making inquiries, police arrested a 15-year-old boy at a home in Dubbo. The teen was charged with two counts of police pursuit-not stop-drive dangerously, carry cutting weapon upon apprehension, and breach of bail.
Kids in cars – so dangerous
CHILDREN driving vehicles on the roads can end in tragedy, just look at what happened at Dareton, near the southwest border with Victoria on Tuesday.
A Holden was reported crashed and when police arrived on the scene they found not only that the car had been stolen from Victoria
last week, but that the two 15-year-old boys who were occupants at the time it crashed had died at the scene.
So when police call off pursuits, understand that they do this via long-established protocols aimed at ensuring the safety of everyone concerned, and that includes the drivers and occupants of these vehicles along with anyone who may be using the roads at the same time.
It’s not just kids who are putting other lives at risk on our roads, here’s a tale of a would-be Peter Brock with the pedal to the metal down Conrod Straight.
Police say that just after 2pm on Anzac Day officers from Bathurst Highway Patrol were performing mobile speed enforcement duties along Conrod Straight at Mount Panorama in Bathurst.
They observed a vehicle being driven by a 37-year-old woman with a four-year-old child standing on the seat between her and the steering wheel.
The vehicle was stopped, and the driver issued infringements for drive with passengers four years or older, but less than seven years not restrained as prescribed ($352, demerit 6 points) and drive without proper control of vehicle ($469, 3 demerit points). Officers also submitted a child at risk report.
Consider these facts:
That was Conrod Straight, Australia’s most famous stretch of racetrack – who’d believe the highway patrol would be monitoring that stretch of public road?
It was Anzac Day, a long weekend, and that means double demerits were in force.
Significant arrest
DUBBO police have charged a teenager who they’d been chasing on 14, yes, 14 outstanding arrest warrants for property and prohibited weapon-related offences.
On April 21 officers commenced an investigation into the whereabouts of a teenager wanted on a number of outstanding arrest warrants and, following enquiries, attended a home on Champagne Drive and arrested an 18-year-old man inside the home.
He was taken to Dubbo Police Station and charged with 14 outstanding arrest warrants for property and prohibited weapon-related offences and breach of bail. He was refused bail to appear at children’s court.
Orana Mid-western Police District Commander, Superintendent Danny Sullivan, said police will continue to target those who deliberately cause harm to the community and ensure that they are held to account.
“We are committed to reducing crime and the fear of crime across our District, and will use intelligence-driven deployments to place officers at the right place at the right time,” Supt Sullivan said.
“Anyone who chooses to break the law should expect to be arrested and put before the courts.”
Fatal crash near Walgett
JUST before 9pm on April 21 emergency services responded to reports of a single vehicle crash on a private road off the Kamilaroi Highway at Cryon, about 30 kilometres east of Walgett.
Police have been told a Toyota Hilux utility rolled a number of times while negotiating a bend. A passenger from the vehicle managed to raise the alarm with workers on the property.
The driver – a man believed to be aged in his 50s – died at the scene.
The passenger in the vehicle, a male aged in his 20s, was treated at the scene by ambulance paramedics and taken to Walgett hospital for treatment.
Officers attached to Central North Police District established a crime scene as inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the crash continue.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or who has dashcam footage of the incident, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
GOAT is not The Greatest Of All Time
EIGHT people have been charged with drug and rural crime offences in a joint operation which began last year when Strike Forces Greeve and Gunbower were set up to investigate the supply of prohibited drugs and rural crime-related offences in areas around Cobar and the Murrumbidgee region.
At four properties in Cobar, officers seized methylamphetamine, cannabis plants, cannabis leaf, prescription medication, drug paraphernalia, property suspected of being stolen, and liquid believed to be GHB.
At a Hillston property, officers seized methylamphetamine, cannabis, ammunition, and more than $7000 cash.
A 36-year-old Cobar man was charged with 12 counts of supply prohibited drug, six counts take part supply prohibited drug, eight counts of deal with property proceeds of crime, five counts of supply prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis, larceny, damage property by fire/explosion, two counts of possess prohibited drug, cultivate prohibited plant, and knowingly direct activities of criminal group
A second Cobar man, aged 36, was charged with take part supply prohibited drug.
A 39-year-old Cobar man was charged with four counts of supply prohibited drug, deal with property proceeds of crime and possess prohibited drug.
All three were refused bail to appear at Bourke Local Court.
A 50-year-old Cobar man was charged with participate criminal group contribute criminal activity, take part supply prohibited drug, two counts of supply prohibited drug, goods in personal custody suspected being stolen, possess prohibited drug and cultivate prohibited plant.
State Road Crash Rescue Challenge in Dubbo
GOOD luck to all the participants at the State Road Crash Rescue Challenge which is being staged in the city this week.
Much of the action will be held at the showgrounds.
Send your news tips to john.ryan@panscott.com.au or 0429 452 245 txt is best