Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: ACT Police

ACT Policing is seeking witnesses and footage following an arson incident in Ainslie on Thursday evening.

About 7.00pm on Thursday, 29 August 2024, ACT Fire & Rescue and police responded to reports of a car fire on Paterson Street, Ainslie.

The car, a white Mazda 3, is believed to have been deliberately set on fire.

Witnesses reported seeing two people wearing dark clothing approaching Paterson Street from the adjacent Chisholm Street roundabout at about 6.50pm, and they were further observed running back in the same direction shortly after.

ACT Policing is asking residents in Ainslie to check CCTV and dashcams from Thursday evening for footage of any suspicious people or activity.

Anyone with information that can assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. Please quote reference number 7837480. Information can be provided anonymously.

Source: ACT Police

ACT Policing is seeking information and witnesses to a house fire on Paull Place in Kambah last night.

About 9:30pm yesterday (Thursday 29 August) police responded to reports of a house fire.

The fire was extinguished by ACT Fire and Rescue, and no one was injured in the blaze however the home was extensively damaged. All of the occupants of the home were able to escape the fire before emergency services arrived.

Police have received information that there was an alleged home invasion by multiple persons prior to the fire and that the fire was deliberately lit by one of those people.

Police are now investigating both the home invasion incident and the subsequent fire.

Police would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the fire, or who may have dash-cam footage from the area before or during the fire.

Anyone who can assist is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. Please quote 7837570. Information can be provided anonymously.

Source: ACT Police

ACT Policing is warning of potentially lethal illicit drugs in circulation in Canberra after attending multiple suspected drug overdoses recently. 

In the past two months, 4 people have died as a result of suspected drug overdoses, including a man and a woman yesterday (Thursday, 29 August 2024) in separate incidents.

While the exact cause of the overdoses is yet to be determined, police suspect high drug purity levels or the addition of synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl or nitazene, may be responsible.

These dangerous synthetic opioids carry a high risk of addiction, breathing difficulties or respiratory failure, and death.  

ACT Policing Detective acting Superintendent Dave Craft said synthetic opioids have been identified in the ACT as recently as May this year. 

“While police are focused on disrupting drug suppliers who deliberately cause harm and misery to our community, we want to raise awareness on this issue and encourage illicit drug users to engage in harm minimisation practices and protect themselves from these harmful substances currently in circulation,” Det. A/Supt. Craft said.

“There is no safe drug use, however we understand drug addiction is a health issue. In light of recent overdoses that police have attended we are urging those who are using drugs to do this as safely as possible. 

“Police have responded to incidents where people have lost consciousness outside in the middle of the night and haven’t been found until the next morning. We don’t want to see more preventable deaths in our community.” 

Drugs can be tested at CanTEST, which provides free and confidential chemical analysis of pills and drugs intended for personal use, as well as tailored information and harm reduction advice. 

There is also a range of support services and advice for those using drugs from Canberra drug treatment organisations.

https://www.cahma.org.au/

https://directionshealth.com/cantest-health-drug-checking-service/

https://www.canberrahealthservices.act.gov.au/services-and-clinics/alcohol-and-drug-services

https://www.act.gov.au/health/topics/drugs-alcohol-smoking-and-vaping/drug-checking

Source: ACT Police

A 32-year-old man will face the ACT Magistrates Court this morning after a firearm and ammunition were located in a stolen car this week.

Since the beginning of August, police allege the man was involved in five commercial burglaries, during which a number of items and sums of cash were stolen.

Last Friday (23 August 2024), the man was arrested in a Canberra hotel foyer. He was charged with two counts of driving disqualified, driving unregistered, possessing stolen property, intimidating a public official, and breaching a good behaviour order. The man appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court and was granted bail the following morning.

Following his release, subsequent enquiries identified a hotel room that the man was using, with a stolen Nissan Navarra allegedly also being used by the man located in the hotel basement.

Police conducted a search of the hotel room and the Nissan, where police located a modified and prohibited rifle, and ammunition.

In addition, the man was observed on CCTV driving a stolen black Toyota Yaris on Tuesday (27 August 2024), contrary to his bail conditions.

The 32-year-old man was arrested yesterday.

He has been charged with three counts of joint commission aggravated burglary, four counts of driving a motor vehicle without consent, two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing a firearm, possessing ammunition, five counts of driving while disqualified, two counts of joint commission theft, and breaching a good behaviour order.

Source: ACT Police

A 32-year-old Macgregor man will face the ACT Magistrates Court today following his alleged abuse of a 13-year-old girl.

Police allege that the man abused the child earlier this week at his residence.

It is further alleged that the man shared child exploitation material with the victim.

About 7.30pm last night (Thursday, 29 August 2024), police conducted a search warrant at the man’s residence, where police located the child exploitation material on the man’s phone.

The man has been charged with grooming a young person, sexual intercourse with a child under 16 years, and possessing child exploitation material.

The investigation into this matter is continuing and additional charges may be laid.

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence, you can report to police by attending a police station or calling ACT Policing Communications on 131 444. You can also submit an online report for historical sexual assault for incidents that occurred more than six months ago.

The ACT Policing website has a dedicated section for victims of sexual assault, with information and a range of advice and details of support options.

Source: ACT Police

Last update: Wednesday, 16 October 2024 2:25pm

Original publication: Thursday, 29 August 2024 4:40pm

Police investigate death in custody

Source: ACT Police

ACT Policing has served more than 100 family violence and personal protection orders during a significant operation this week.

During the two day activity on Monday and Tuesday (26 and 27 August 2024) officers from General Duties, the High Risk Domestic and Family Violence Investigations Unit and ACT Firearms Registry worked with the Service and Process team to coordinate the serving of:

• 88 Family Violence Orders;
• 19 Personal Protection Orders ;
• 5 Orders for interstate jurisdictions;
• 7 Subpoenas; and
• 6 Summons.

As part of the operation, one person was also taken into custody as they were subject to an arrest warrant and three firearms were seized from another person (as required by the Family Violence Order).

More than 20 officers worked each day to locate the persons and serve the notices.

Family Violence Orders can be an important tool to support victim-survivors escaping family violence. They make it an offence for a respondent to behave in certain ways towards a protected person which might not otherwise be illegal, such as contacting, approaching, or otherwise exerting control over a protected person.

Legislation covering the Family Violence Orders and Personal Protection Orders stipulates that the orders must be served in person. This can prove challenging, especially when the person being served is actively avoiding police. Additionally, investigative techniques normally used by police to locate a person are not permitted to be used when serving court orders.

ACT Policing will continue to prioritise the serving of Family Violence and Personal Protection orders in an effort to ensure the respondents are fully aware of the conditions placed on them by the Court.

ACT Policing stands ready to assist victims experiencing family violence. If you are in this situation – when it is safe to do so – please contact police on 131 444 or Triple Zero (000) in an emergency, or contact a support service who can assist with crisis support, safety planning and advice.

If you require assistance, you can contact:

• Triple Zero (000) in an emergency or life-threatening situation.
• Police Assistance on 131 444 if it is a non-emergency, but you require police assistance.
• The Domestic Violence Crisis Service provides a 24-hour crisis line, advice, safety planning and information every day of the year and can be reached on 02 6280 0900.
• The Canberra Rape Crisis Centre provides a 24-hour crisis line and can be contacted on 02 6280 0900.

Source: ACT Police

A 24-year-old Vietnamese national has been charged with drug and vape trafficking after he was arrested in his vehicle yesterday.

Since June last year, officers from Gungahlin General Duties have been investigating the sale and distribution of cannabis and vapes in the Gungahlin district, with arrests made and intelligence gathered by the officers.  

Yesterday (Friday, 7 September 2024) the 24-year-old man was observed by police to conduct multiple exchanges of goods from a vehicle at multiple locations across the ACT. Many of these exchanges occurred with teenagers in school uniforms. 

About 12.20pm yesterday in Phillip, police arrested the man and seized the vehicle (a blue Hyundai Elantra) he was sitting in.  

Search warrants were sought to examine the vehicle as well as a residence in Franklin.  

In the vehicle police located: 
51 vapes 
$975 in cash 
Approximately 68 grams of cannabis 
Approximately 110 grams of a green liquid suspected to contain cannabis.  

At the Franklin home police located: 
More than 600 vapes 
Hydroponic growing equipment 
Nine cannabis plants 
Approximately 800 ‘gummy lollies’ in the shape of bears or cannabis leaf 
A slow cooker with approximately 4 litres of a green liquid believed to contain cannabis 
Moulds in the shape of bears or cannabis leaf  
Drying racks 
Approximately 500grams of dried cannabis 

Police believe the man is responsible for a significant volume of illegal vape and cannabis distribution in the ACT with analysis of bank statements across a recent three-day period showing deposits totalling almost $6500.

The 24-year-old Vietnamese national will face the ACT Magistrates Court today (Saturday, 7 September 2024) charged with possess property suspected to be the proceeds of crime, traffic in cannabis, supply vaping goods in Australia, possess a commercial quantity of vaping goods. This is the first time a person has been charged with Commonwealth supply and possession of vaping goods offences in the ACT.   

Anyone who has information about vape or illicit drug distribution in the ACT is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. Information can be provided anonymously.

Source: ACT Police

ACT Policing wants to remind people about their personal safety as investigations continue into recent assaults.  

Officers from ACT Criminal Investigations are continuing to investigate three incidents in July where men were allegedly assaulted after being targeted via a dating app. 

Detective Inspector Matt Sprague is urging any victim of this type of incident to come forward to police.  

“We understand a victim may be reluctant to involve police however there are a range of options available for matters reported to us,” Detective Inspector Sprague said.   

“Importantly – each piece of information received by investigators can assist in bringing offenders before the court”.  

“Please call us as soon as possible after an incident. We will work with you to ensure your wishes are respected and we will put you in touch with support services”.

ACT Policing is asking Canberrans using dating apps to consider their personal safety when meeting someone face-to-face for the first time. Where possible, consider meeting in a public place first, such as a caf, restaurant, or shopping centre.  

Anyone who has any information about these incidents is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website.  Information can be provided anonymously.

Source: ACT Police

Two drivers have been caught travelling more than 45km/h over the speed limit, in two separate incidents last night in Weston Creek.

About 7.55pm (Thursday, 5 September 2024) ACT Road Policing officers detected a motorcyclist travelling at 119km/h in the 70km/h zone along Cotter Road, Coombs.

About thirty minutes later, a white station wagon was caught travelling at 117km/h in a 60km/h zone along John Gorton Drive, Denman Prospect.

Both drivers had their licences suspended for 90 days, and were issued a fine of $1841 and incurred 6 demerit points.

Officer in Charge of Road Policing Detective Inspector Mark Steel said speeding reduces the ability to control a vehicle and increases the likelihood of a collision.

“Drivers who speed are gambling with their own lives as well as the lives of other drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists,” Detective Inspector Steel said.

ACT Policing are urging drivers to slow down on Canberra Roads, with speed being one of the “fatal five” and a leading contributor to road trauma.