Police concerned at crime spike

Mayor Barry Hollman inspecting the damage to the toilets in Central Park. PHOTO TWH

A crime spike in Bourke is causing concern for local police and the Bourke Shire Council, with yet another incidence of vandalism in the town centre and a serious incident which saw a tourist’s car stolen, a police car rammed and a police officer injured.

A 17-year-old was charged with a string of serious offences after the visitor’s car - a Kluger four-wheel-drive was stolen from outside a Bourke motel and torched in a night of havoc.

Central North Police District Superintendent Inspector Andrew Hurst said the stolen vehicle was involved in a serious incident on Tuesday night. He said over the course of several hours the vehicle was driven at high speed before it rammed into the back of a police vehicle early on Wednesday morning.

“One police officer was injured, and a police vehicle was significantly damaged,” he said.

“Detectives led an investigation over two days and got a large amount of support from the community through supplying CCTV and contacting the police station and as a result a 17-year-old Bourke youth was arrested and charged with a long list of offences.

“The charges included police pursuit, not stop, drive dangerously, drive vehicle menacing with intent, use offensive weapon to prevent detention, take or drive conveyance without consent of the driver, destroy or damage property, operate vehicle for the purpose of doing burnouts, and licensing offences,” he said.

The teenager was refused bail to appear in a Children’s Court.

Police followed up their investigation into another young offender in Bourke, with a 15 year old youth charged with breaching bail, dealing with the proceeds of crime, offences related to a break and enter in Richard Street last week, and an aggravated break enter and steal offence in Mertin Street in February.

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