Another two teenagers have had bail denied after alleged break and enters, as well as thefts of a Porsche and BMW, near Ballina leading up to New Years Eve.
Officers working on what the NSW Police Force has dubbed Operation Soteria have been investigating incidents reported at five homes across Ballina, East Ballina and Skennars Head on the morning of Tuesday 30 December 2025.
A Porsche SUV was allegedly stolen from a home on Norton Street in Ballina between 1am and 3am, while a BMW SUV was allegedly stolen from a home at Skennars Head.
Car keys and a wallet were allegedly stolen from a home on Pacific Terrace, East Ballina, around 2.15am, before a group of males allegedly tried to break into a home on Ballina’s Shelly Beach Road around 2.20am.
Police say the group were unable to enter the home and left the scene.
But around an hour later, officers were called to a home on Ballina’s Canal Road, where a group of males is alleged to have forced entry before threatening the 87-year-old female occupant, stealing electronics and jewellery, and then leaving.
Police said no physical injuries were reported.
Officers patrolled the area but failed to find the group.
Stolen Porsche allegedly used in police chase
Police say subsequent inquiries led to the discovery of the allegedly stolen BMW SUV abandoned in bushland in Kempsey later that day.
Officers seized it for forensic examination and more inquiries led to their arrest, later that day, of a fifteen-year-old boy at a home in Greenhills.
The Porsche was allegedly involved in a pursuit in West Kempsey in the early hours of Saturday 3 January.
Police say they terminated the pursuit owing to safety concerns and later found the Porsche abandoned in Kempsey, whereupon they seized it for forensic examination.
More inquiries prompted police to carry out a search warrant on Monday 5 January in West Kempsey, leading to the arrest of another fifteen-year-old boy.
Police charged each boy with thirteen offences and last week also charged a sixteen-year-old boy with thirteen related offences.
Officers said they arrested the third teen outside a home in West Kempsey around 1.10pm Thursday 8 January before taking him to Kempsey Police Station.
Accused teen trio denied bail
Charges against each of the teens include (but aren’t limited to) various counts of aggravated break and enter, dishonestly obtaining property by deception, taking and driving conveyance without consent of owner, destroying or damaging property greater than $5,000 and less than or equal to $15,000, being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence and common assault.
The fifteen-year-old arrested in Greenhills was refused bail to appear before a children’s court on Wednesday 31 December 2025.
The fifteen-year-old arrested in West Kempsey was refused bail and was due to appear for a second time before a children’s court this week.
The sixteen-year-old was refused bail and was to appear before a children’s court on Friday 9 January.
Children’s courts are closed to the public.
Police say their inquiries under Operation Soteria continue.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
