Police arrest second 15-year-old Kempsey boy over Ballina’s holiday ‘night of terror’

Police yesterday announced the capture of the second member of an alleged gang of five wanted over the shocking night of crime on December 30.

Ballina’s normally peaceful Christmas–New Year holiday was shattered in the early hours of the morning as multiple homes were robbed, cars were stolen and locals and visiting holidaymakers were woken by a high-speed police chase.

People woke to find the gang of hooded thieves either inside, or trying to get inside, their homes.

In the worst case, an 87-year-old woman living alone in Canal Road was threatened and terrorised in her home. The thieves allegedly escaped with jewellery and other valuables.

A Porsche SUV was stolen from a home on Norton Street. A BMW X3 was stolen from a home in Skennars Head.

The ordeal ended with the group making off at high speed down the M1 motorway.

Police later confirmed the sirens that jolted the community from sleep at 3.30am did not in fact relate to the Ballina robberies.

Instead, they related to a separate motor vehicle theft and subsequent police pursuit. 

That incident, which had already tied up the small number of local officers on duty on the night in question, originated in Tweed Heads.

The stolen vehicle was later found abandoned in Goonellabah.

The BMW X3 stolen from a home at Headlands Estate, Lennox Head, was located damaged in bushland outside Kempsey the following day.

Police first arrested a youth aged just 15 years over the terrifying incident.

That teenager faces 13 serious charges, including aggravated break and enter, aggravated stealing and committing a serious indictable offence using violence.

On Monday, police swooped again in the same West Kempsey suburb of Greenhills where the second youth was arrested. Officers took into custody another 15-year-old boy, who now faces the same 13 serious charges.

Police outlined those charges as: aggravated break and enter and stealing (three counts), being armed with intent to cause an indictable offence, common assault, two counts of motor vehicle theft, dishonestly obtaining property by deception and destroying valuable property.

He was refused bail and is due to appear before a children’s court next Monday.

Investigators have not confirmed how many offenders were involved, saying only that inquiries are continuing.

Security camera footage showed the gang included up to five members.

There is no word at this stage of any arrests relating to the police chase and abandoned vehicle found at Goonellabah. 

Police say investigations are continuing under Operation Soteria.

It is a strategic statewide initiative focusing on aggravated break and enter offences, motor vehicle theft and social-media “post and boast” behaviour.

Earlier story: https://ballinanewsdaily.com.au/2025/12/from-break-ins-to-pursuits-how-a-night-of-crime-unravelled-across-ballina/

Main image, security camera images taken from one of the homes targeted in Skennars Head, (source: Ballina Crime Reports/Facebook)