Police say it was lucky "no one was hurt or killed" when a group of teenagers in allegedly stolen vehicles rammed a pair of police cars in a Northern Territory outback town.
The incident appears to be the latest example of what police are calling a "very concerning" social media trend among youth offenders in northern Australia.
At about 11pm last night, police received reports that two cars had been stolen from the Northern Land Council compound in Katherine, 270 kilometres south of Darwin, and were being driven erratically around the town.
Five officers were deployed before the alleged offenders barrelled down Katherine's main thoroughfare where the officers had parked.
"Unfortunately, the two stolen vehicles directed their attention directly to our police cars, subsequently ramming two police cars," Deputy Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said on Thursday.
"Thankfully, the police officers weren't in any of the vehicles at the time of the deliberate and reckless act of ramming our police vehicles."
Deputy Commissioner Murphy said both cars were recovered and five people were identified as being involved in the incident. Three teenagers, aged between 14 and 16, were taken into custody.
"One was an arrest target and the two others are on bail conditions already for property offences," he said.
He said police were still working to identify the two others involved.
Youth offenders targeting police in social media trend
Deputy Commissioner Murphy said there was an emerging trend of young offenders targeting police vehicles across northern Australia.
"This isn't limited to the Northern Territory or Katherine alone. We see these instances across the Kimberley as well, and across Townsville," he said.
"The sad reality is it's communicated across social media platforms as well and people play a game of one-up-manship to try and do better or take more risky behaviours.
"It's totally reckless. The intent is very concerning."
After a similar incident in Alice Springs last week — which saw police issue a warning for people to avoid the CBD — Deputy Commissioner Murphy said it was "a possibility" the trend could move north to Darwin.
"I hope it doesn't happen. And we'll do everything we can to try and stop it," he said.
"And I urge anyone that's listening and any family with influence to make sure that they tell the people ... it's a really silly thing to do."
NT Police Association President Paul McCue said the trend had contributed to low morale in the NT Police Force.
"It's a fearful time for the police out there on the frontline," he said.
But Deputy Commissioner Murphy insisted police were not afraid to go to work.
"They're well trained, they turn up to work to do the best job they can each and every day and they do a damn good job."
Residents feeling threatened
Toni Tapp Coutts, a long-term Katherine resident and former councillor, said the latest incident came after weeks of break-ins, vehicle theft and property damage across the town.
"There's just been constant rampage and terrorism of people in their own homes, people in their businesses," she said.
"People are feeling threatened, they're feeling unsafe, sadly.
"We keep making excuses about this, but the reality is it's gone too far. What we're doing is not working."
Rates of assaults, robberies, break-ins and property damage have all increased over the last five years in Katherine, according to the latest NT government crime statistics.
But Ms Tapp Coutts said youth crime was a complex issue that required authorities to look at the root cause.
"I think what it [the offending] says is they're angry, they're furious, they're helpless," she said.
"Of course then there's no support for them anyway and going to jail is not an answer."
Police Minister Kate Worden said a "small group" of young people who had "escalated quite quickly" were allegedly responsible for the recent spate of crime in Katherine.
"I have every confidence that the police and Territory Families, knowing those families, are absolutely on this matter and we will see a turn-around very quickly," she said.
Opposition leader Gerard Maley said the incident was the latest example of how "crime is paralysing" the territory.
He said the Country Liberal Party would introduce tougher bail laws and a purpose-built "sentenced to a skill" boot camp for youth offenders if they were in power.
