A chaotic, high-risk incident involving a stolen car driven by a group of teenagers has left the remote Northern Territory town of Katherine on high alert, with two minors already in police custody and a manhunt underway for five remaining suspects.
The incident unfolded on Thursday afternoon, when a black Volkswagen was reported stolen from outside a commercial property located on Katherine Terrace, the town’s main commercial strip. For more than eight hours after the theft, the stolen vehicle terrorized local roads: witnesses described the car speeding recklessly along both the Victoria Highway and residential streets of Katherine, with multiple young people seen hanging out of the vehicle’s open windows during the rampage. Eyewitness accounts confirmed up to seven teenagers were involved in the dangerous stunt.
Facing a difficult choice between immediate apprehension and public safety, local police made the deliberate decision not to initiate a high-speed chase. Acting Assistant Commissioner James Gray-Spence explained that standard police policy requires officers to weigh law enforcement goals against the potential harm a high-speed pursuit could cause to innocent bystanders, road users and the broader community. In this case, commanders opted to de-escalate the situation by prioritizing evidence collection and suspect identification over an immediate, risky pursuit.
“The behaviour displayed was extremely concerning and created an unacceptable risk to members of the Katherine community,” Gray-Spence said in a statement released to media.
The rampage came to an abrupt end at approximately 8:50 pm, when the stolen vehicle crashed into a residential fence on Stutterd Street in Katherine South. All seven teenagers fled the scene on foot before officers arrived.
By Friday evening, police had taken the first two suspects into custody. A 13-year-old boy was arrested just before 11 pm, facing charges including motor vehicle theft, additional theft offenses and dangerous driving. A 15-year-old male suspect was taken into custody around 12:30 am Saturday, charged with being a passenger in a stolen motor vehicle and breaching existing bail conditions. Both teens remain in police custody and are scheduled to appear in court at a later date. As of Friday, investigators had identified a third suspect, and are continuing work to track down the remaining five people involved in the incident.
“In this instance, officers made a deliberate decision to prioritise public safety. Rather than escalating the situation through a pursuit, they focused on gathering evidence, identifying those involved and progressing the investigation,” Gray-Spence added. “Police have already identified three suspects, and we are actively working to identify and locate all remaining offenders. We will continue to pursue every available investigative avenue to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
Local law enforcement has issued a public call for information, urging any Katherine resident or visitor who witnessed the incident or has additional details about the involvement of the remaining suspects to contact Northern Territory Crime Stoppers anonymously with tips.