Teens’ driving skills out of gear

THREE teenage girls were arrested on Friday night after their alleged attempt at stealing a car from a business in the city was hampered by a manual gearbox.

The girls, aged 13 and 14, were spotted trying to start a car in Edmunds St in the Darwin CBD just around 6pm on Friday.

It later emerged the trio had allegedly swiped the car keys from the office of a nearby business minutes earlier.

NT Police Watch Commander Senior Sergeant Siiri Tennosaar said a worker from the business the keys were allegedly stolen from spotted the three girls trying to start the car.

“However, the vehicle stalled as they attempted to drive away,” Sen Sgt Tennosaar said.

Sen Sgt Tennosaar said the three girls separated and ran off when confronted, but police camera operators monitoring the network of security cameras that blanket the city were able to track all three girls after they ran off through the city.

The camera operators updated nearby patrols by radio of the girls’ whereabouts.

“… the vehicle stalled as they attempted to drive away”

All three were arrested nearby within minutes, having scattered across the city.

Sen Sgt Tennosaar said the youngest of the girls, 13, was released from custody and officers will consider dealing with her alleged involvement in the bungled car theft by referring her to a diversion program.

The two 14-year-old girls, who the Sunday Territorian has been told are well known to police, were kept in custody overnight on Friday.

Sen Sgt Tennosaar said yesterday the trio were expected to be offered the chance to take part in a recorded interview at some time yesterday.

The two older girls were likely to be charged after being offered the opportunity of an interview with investigators, she said.