"We're coming after you."
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That's the message acting western region commander Bob Noble has for youths committing crimes in Dubbo.
Operation Regional Mongoose has been launched on Wednesday to tackle youth crime across the western region.
The operation, which will be based out of Dubbo, has been launched after an increase in criminal activity.
Superintendent Noble said it was not "an epidemic of crime" but the serious nature of the incidents had led to an "escalated response".
"They do at times involve break-ins to people's homes. Frequently there are people within the dwellings at the times of those offences," he said.
"Worryingly, there have been some acts of violence committed on the persons within those dwellings and in some cases, weapons have been wielded and used by the offenders."
The latest crime figures show there were 575 break-ins to homes in Dubbo in the 12 months to June 2023. The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research data puts Dubbo break-ins at 4.5 times the NSW average, when comparing per 100,000 people.
Social media is one of the factors attributed to the increase in serious youth behaviour.
"There is very strong evidence that some of these offenders are uploading video and photos and audio of crimes they're committing and in some instances that's driving a form of one upmanship," Superintendent Noble said.
"That is very concerning because we know if people continue to escalate and try one up their friends, or other people engage in this kind of activity, they continue to escalate it and that can only end in tragedy."
Superintendent Noble said there were offenders as young as 10 and 11-years-old committing these crimes. He acknowledged that while the young people should be home, some of the homes "were not good places for young people to be".
"But if they have to be incarcerated, to protect your community, we will do that," he said.
"If there's an opportunity to divert those people from the criminal justice system, we'll certainly do that, but we'll do whatever is necessary to protect the public."
As well as breaking into the homes, Superintendent Noble warned that there had been an increase in young people breaking into houses to get car keys.
There were 313 incidents of motor vehicle theft in Dubbo in the 12 months to June 2023.
The acting western region commander had an important message for young people across the western district.
"One upmanship over your mates when you're engaging in extremely dangerous conduct and your behaviour is ridiculous. It is not cool. No one thinks you're cool," he said.
"You are putting yourselves, your friends and other people at serious risk."
He said the young offenders needed to think about the possibility of "things going bad".
"One incorrect move on the road, you and all your friends in the car and a heap of other people could easily be dead. It happens that quickly and that simply," Superintendent Noble said.
"So my message is think before you engage in this activity, if you don't think or you engage in it anyway, we're coming after you and we'll put you before the court as is necessary and you'll face the full consequences of that."
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