Two teenage boys have been arrested following a police operation in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie last night.
About 10.50pm (Wednesday 19 March 2026), officers had stopped a vehicle for unrelated matters on Willow Road, Gateshead, when a ute allegedly drove directly towards them before swerving, narrowly missing the officers.
Police entered their vehicle and will allege the ute again drove towards them at speed, again narrowly missing the police vehicle.
Inquiries revealed that the vehicle had been reported stolen from a home in Valentine last Thursday 12 March 2026.
A short time later, police saw the vehicle being driven along Tennent Road, Gateshead, and a pursuit was initiated, continuing through Gateshead, Windale, Mount Hutton, and Charlestown.
Road spikes were deployed on the Newcastle Inner-City Bypass at Charlestown with the vehicle located abandoned on Grinsell Street, Kotara, a short time later.
With the assistance of PolAir and the Dog Unit, two teenage boys were arrested in the backyard of a home on Grinsell Street.
During a search of the nearby area, police seized knives, balaclavas, and gloves.
The boys – aged 13 and 16 – were taken to Waratah Police Station.
The older boy has been charged with 12 offences,
- Aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence (four counts)
- Police pursuit - not stop - drive dangerously (two counts)
- Aggravated break and enter with intent-in company-not steal etc
- Dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception
- Enter vehicle or boat without consent of owner/occupier
- Drive conveyance taken without consent of owner
- Be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner, and
- Larceny.
An outstanding warrant for alleged property, bail, affray, and resist police offences was also executed.
He was refused bail to appear before a children's court today (Thursday 19 March 2026).
The younger boy has been charged with four offences,
- Be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner
- Enter inclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse
- Aggravated break and enter with intent-in company-not steal etc, and
- Shoplifting.
He was granted strict conditional bail to appear before a children's court on Monday 20 April 2026.
