'Real concerns' identified but plan flagged to combat regional crime wave

On Wednesday morning, just hours after the NSW Premier's tour to the region ended, four teens were arrested at Wellington after allegedly ransacking a servo and taking lollies, chips and drinks before leading police on a chase through town.

A few weeks ago, a 13-year-old boy yawned constantly while facing Orange Children's Court close to 12 hours after he was arrested.

The teenager was one of three boys who were arrested in the early hours of January 11 under suspicion they were riding in a stolen car that was involved in a police pursuit that morning.

Meanwhile an 11-year-old was arrested and charged with breach of bail and property crime in Dubbo.

And perhaps more concerning, an alleged crime spree led to a police chase spanning four Central West towns on January 11, road spikes were also used, while in the early hours of New Year's Day a blue Mitsubishi Magna sedan was burned-out at Keith Thomas Park after an alleged pursuit.

Those are some of the incidents throughout January, 2024.

In September, 2023, the Central Western Daily obtained chilling footage from social media of a group of criminals breaking into homes around Orange and filming their unsuspecting victims as they sleep.

Visiting Eugowra and Orange on Tuesday, his first footsteps in the region since becoming premier in March, 2023, Mr Minns was pressed about the issue and said he wasn't going to "sweep it under the carpet".

However, he admitted there were no shortcuts in the government's endeavour to ensure police resourcing is at a level adequate enough to combat the problem.

"I understand that there's real concerns there about regional crime and in some communities in some towns, there is an increase in regional crime," Mr Minns said.

"Our immediate focus is putting more resources into front line policing, particularly in regional New South Wales."

He said his government's decision to scrap the wages cap and put in a training subsidy for New South Wales police to "encourage more people to both stay in the New South Wales police force and consider becoming a police officer as a career" will make a difference.

He believes that difference should be felt in regional communities too.

"And that kind of investment we believe will make our communities safer and our police force stronger," Mr Minns said.

"(But) there's no shortcuts here. You have to invest in the people that keep us safe."

He said the police force is "stretched thread bare" at the moment, that's right across the state.

"So if we can boost up the number of professional police in regional communities, we can make a major impact on crime," Mr Minns said.

"So let's get boots on the ground investment in our front line services, stop having talk-fests and long discussions and just do what we know works, not just here but around the world."