Strike Force Viper has this morning arrested four youths in relation to a series of criminal and property offences committed in Alice Springs overnight.
Investigations identified the four aged 10, 13, 13 and 14-years-old were involved in a group of upwards of 15 youths who approached a 28-year-old female patron in a carpark off Railway Terrace, where they allegedly assaulted her before stealing her handbag and food from inside her vehicle.
It will be alleged the group then set upon a 43-year-old man who attempted to help the woman and intervened. The group threw rocks and physically assaulted the man who attempted to flee the area in his vehicle, clipping one of the youth who is alleged to have then jumped on the man's vehicle and thrown rocks and kicked the windscreen, before the man drove away to safety.
Inside the vehicle at the time of the incident was the man's wife and young child.
The group of youths left the area prior to multiple police units responding, and continued on to cause further criminal damage and property offending including the criminal damage of three vehicles parked out the front of a gym on Gregory Terrace, and the property damage and assault of two people at a restaurant in the Todd Mall.
Det Snr Sgt Evan Kelly from Strike Force Viper said members would today continue their investigations and identify those involved in the offending.
"Following the initial work done by general duties members, Strike Force Viper have today identified four of the main offenders in the group and those people are now in police custody.
"This level of offending is cause for concern, due to the blatant desire for destruction and brazen disregard for the safety of others."
"We will continue to work to identify the others involved in this offending and urge anyone who has information, dash cam or phone footage which may assist with investigations, to contact police on 131 444."
