PERSUIT: Branxton to Muswellbrook

Five teenagers were arrested, and two were charged after a police pursuit in the Hunter Valley region on Saturday.

Around 7.30 am on 3 August 2024, police responded to reports of two vehicles driving dangerously at a rest stop off the New England Highway in Branxton. Both vehicles were allegedly stolen.

Upon arrival, officers from the Hunter Valley Police District found a white Toyota sedan ablaze. Fire and Rescue NSW quickly extinguished the fire. The officers then attempted to stop the second vehicle, a black Nissan SUV, resulting in a pursuit.

The chase continued north along the New England Highway but was called off due to safety concerns. At approximately 8.25 am, police located the SUV abandoned on Thomas Mitchell Drive in Muswellbrook.

A perimeter was set up, and a search of the area commenced with assistance from PolAir and the Dog Squad. Shortly after, five teenage boys—one aged 16, two aged 15, and two aged 14—were found and arrested. They were taken to Muswellbrook Police Station.

Two of the boys, aged 16 and 15, were charged with being carried in a conveyance taken without the owner’s consent. They were granted conditional bail and are scheduled to appear at a children’s court on Wednesday, 28 August 2024. The other three teenagers received a formal caution and were released.