A 20-year-old woman, a 17-year-old girl and a boy under the age of 18 were arrested yesterday (September 24) by Operation Toric officers after a car was stolen from Bonner earlier in the afternoon.

This takes arrests by the police operation to 54 since it began on August 1 with the mission to target recidivist offenders to address an increase in motor vehicle thefts and associated dangerous driving and other crimes in the ACT.

Police will allege that the Ford Falcon XR6 was stolen by the 17-year-old about 1.30pm after she arranged to take it for a test drive with the owner, who had listed it for sale on the internet.

About 4.20pm, police investigating the theft spotted the stolen Falcon in Belconnen and followed it to a shopping centre car park. Additional officers in an unmarked car then blocked the parking space and ordered three people from the car.

The driver reversed into the police vehicle in an unsuccessful attempt to drive away, and one of the passengers – the 20-year-old woman – attempted to run away. 

The 17-year-old, who was in breach of bail, will face the ACT Children’s Court tomorrow (September 26) on charges including driving a motor vehicle without consent, taking a motor vehicle without consent, driving at police, damaging a police vehicle, drug driving, property damage, and unlicensed driving having never held a licence.

The woman will face court in October charged with riding in a stolen motor vehicle and attempting to escape police custody.

The boy will receive an official caution for riding in a stolen motor vehicle.