EXTRA police have been rostered on to counter the rising tide of break-ins and stolen cars across Tamworth in the past fortnight.
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Oxley police have confirmed more uniformed and plain clothes officers are patrolling after dark to try and catch a "gang of juveniles" who are targeting homes.
Oxley Detective Acting Inspector Jason Darcy said Operation Southbreak officers were targeting "known suspects" who are working as a "gang" to commit crimes.
"We have extra crews working throughout the night, so that is additional uniform and plain clothes officers on and they will continue to work every night until we can stem the recent spike in property crime," he said.
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Since Monday night, homes have primarily been hit in North and East Tamworth, as well as Oxley Vale.
In most cases, offenders have broken into homes, some residents have disturbed the intruders before they have made off with wallets, keys and cars.
"We believe there is a group of young people who are committing these offenders," Detective Darcy said.
The teenagers are believed to be the same ones involved in stealing a Kia car that lost control in a police pursuit on Monday night, crashing and rolling into a frontyard of a church in Kent Street, West Tamworth.
"We detected that car as being stolen and followed it, and that car has lost control and rolled after a pursuit with police, and three juveniles inside have run off," Detective Darcy said.
"We do have suspects for these offences and we are targeting them; carrying out bail checks, but there are people in South and West Tamworth that are harbouring these offenders and assisting them in their offending.
"We need public assistance to stop these offenders, and my message is to those people who are harbouring them: how would they feel if intruders were inside their homes, stealing their goods, and committing these offences."
Officers are also urging anyone who spots people in the street, especially in a group, to call police to ensure patrols can be made.
"Anyone that sees kids or groups of people wandering the streets with hooded jumpers on, especially at this time of year when it's warm and humid, they are up to something; so please call police and we can investigate," Detective Darcy said.
Police are also investigating links the same offenders were involved in a reported attempted robbery in a park off Darling Street, where a 24-year-old woman was grabbed, thrown to the ground before she managed to escape.