(The AFP website has had a few days off, but returns with more policing goodness)
1. Perhaps not the best car for the job:
ACT Policing arrested a 16-year-old male youth late on Saturday night (August 14) following the short pursuit of a stolen Mazda 121 through Belconnen.
Police sighted the stolen vehicle on Condell St, Belconnen around 11.50pm and engaged in a pursuit along four streets until the offender stopped the car in Renny Place and ran into a nearby backyard. Police conducted a quick search of the yard and the offender was apprehended a short time afterwards.
The north Canberra youth, who had also been sought by police on a First Instance Warrant, later returned a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.093, or more than four times his prescribed limit (0.02).
The youth has been charged with multiple traffic offences including driving a stolen motor vehicle, being an unlicensed driver, being a special driver exceeding a prescribed concentration of alcohol (PCA), and will appear in the ACT Childrens Court today.
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2. Tough stuff at the Ngunnawal Video Ezy:
ACT Policing is seeking witnesses to an armed robbery at Video Ezy in Ngunnawal which occurred around 7:30pm on Saturday (14 August).
A male offender entered the store and threatened the staff with a knife. The staff member refused to provide the offender with money which resulted in a struggle in which a female staff member sustained a minor injury.
The offender stole an amount of cash before leaving the store. Following the incident, the man was seen getting into a maroon Honda CRV. This vehicle, with ACT registration plates, is still sought by police.
The offender is described as being of Caucasian appearance, 25 – 30 years of age, about 175 centimetres tall (5’9”), with a stocky build. He was wearing a grey hooded jumper, white t-shirt, and blue jeans. He was also wearing a red and white bandana tied around his face.
Police are seeking any witnesses who may have been in the area of the Video Ezy Ngunnawal around 7.30pm Saturday evening (14 August) or who may have seen the maroon CRV in the area. Anyone who may be able to provide further information to assist the investigation is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers website on www.act.crimestoppers.com.au.
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3. Rapid Results:
ACT Policing detected 18 unregistered vehicles after deploying its RAPID (Recognition and Analysis of Plates Identified) team to two locations on the weekend.
The RAPID team, together with RTA vehicle inspectors and ACT Rangers, was deployed at Mugga Lane near the refuse station, and also on Flemington Road at Mitchell on Saturday (August 14) and Sunday (August 15). The team was also called in to assist with traffic direction after the Gungahlin Drive bridge collapse on Saturday.
Over the weekend, the RAPID team scanned 2310 vehicles, including trailers. Of those scanned, the team detected 18 unregistered vehicles and issued 21 Traffic Infringement Notices (TINs) for a range of offences including six to motorists using a handheld mobile phone whilst driving. RTA inspectors identified 12 defective vehicles and two infringements were issued by the ACT Rangers for uncovered loads.
In one case on Mugga Lane, on Saturday morning police detected a vehicle that was unregistered and without Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance. The female driver was unlicensed and the vehicle’s registration label had been altered to disguise a 2005 expiry date.
The importance of RAPID’s detection of unregistered vehicles and unlicensed/disqualified drivers was underscored again on Saturday evening (August 14) when a Mazda sedan collided with trees on Majura Road around 9.40pm. The 22-year-old driver of the sedan, who was driving whilst disqualified, was conveyed to hospital with minor injuries.
“This high-speed incident was very nearly another tragedy on our roads,” Traffic Operations Superintendent Mark Colbran said. “This is why RAPID is such a vital aid to road safety; it identifies these risk-taking drivers who show such a blatant disregard not just for their own safety, but that of everyone else using ACT roads.”
Majura Road was closed for around one hour after the collision while the Collision Investigation and Reconstruction Team mapped and studied the crash site. Investigations are continuing into the collision.
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ACT Policing is seeking witnesses to an incident where a vehicle was used during an aggravated burglary at Caltex service station in Lyneham early yesterday morning (Sunday, August 15).
About 7am yesterday police were called to the premises in Wattle Street, where a vehicle appears to have been driven into the front glass doors of the service station. No money was taken however, a number of packets of cigarettes were stolen.
The offender was described as wearing a grey hooded jacket, light-coloured pants and a red-and-white bandana tied around his face. The vehicle used in this incident was described as a maroon Hyundai Excel.
Police are urging any witnesses would who may have witnessed the incident, seen or heard any suspicious persons, vehicles or behaviour near the Caltex service station in Lyneham in the early hours of Sunday morning (August 15) to contact Crime Stoppers.
