Casuarina police apprehended a 26-year-old man shortly after 3.00 am on Thursday 5 February, after noticing he was wearing clothes that matched those of an offender caught on CCTV, stealing food items from the Aralia Street Supermarket on the Wednesday afternoon.
The two members were en route to attend another matter when they stopped the man in Parap.
A subsequent search of his bum bag revealed a large sum of cash, some gold bracelets and a small quantity of cannabis.
The man had allegedly stolen a handbag containing the cash and three gold bracelets from a residence in Nightcliff on Wednesday and the 70-year-old victim reported the theft to police at approximately 5.00 pm.
The man then allegedly entered the supermarket on Aralia Street and stole a quantity of food items to the value of $5.00 before leaving the area, where his image was caught on CCTV and distributed among police.
Police arrested the 26-year-old and subsequent enquiries over following days by the Commander's Tactical Team linked him to a further six property crime incidents.
He allegedly unlawfully entered two other residents in Wulagi and Malak and attempted to enter and steal items from four units in the same unit block in Marrara between October and December.
Items stolen in the unlawful entries include a handbag containing an Ipod and wallet, laptops and money. Some of the items have been recovered in subsequent search warrants.
The 26-year-old man has been charged with unlawful entry (x5), attempt unlawful entry (x4), stealing (x5), criminal damage (x6) and possess cannabis public place and remanded in custody to appear in the Darwin Magistrate's Court today.
Acting Senior Sergeant and Officer in Charge of the Casuarina Police Station, Shaun Furniss said that the arrest demonstrated proactive and vigilant police work.
"Police are actively following up on all possible leads and information to crack down on property crime across Darwin and Palmerston and this really was a good result.
"Clear ups like this should send a strong message to offenders that they won't get away with it. Police are serious about property crime," he said.
Media contact:
Sarah Combe
8901 0280
