Graves Unearthed
Newcastle Herald
Monday December 3, 2007
A MAJOR police operation involving trail bike riders and a helicopter has uncovered a graveyard of more than 70 stolen cars in bush surrounding the RAAF weapons range near Salt Ash, north of Newcastle.
Security personnel and guard dogs from RAAF Williamtown helped in the operation to search areas on prohibited land near the bombing range.One of the vehicles recovered yesterday was reported stolen from the Tilligerry area just three days ago.Police also issued fines and infringement notices to 10 unregistered trail bike riders who were caught riding along the trails.Senior Constable Jeroen Van Groningen from Lower Hunter local area command said more than 60 police officers, including the police trail bike squad, RAAF security personnel, Rural Fire Service officers, National Parks and Wildlife officers and NRMA insurance investigators, took part in the two-day operation.About 800 square kilometres of bush from the northern end of Fullerton Cove to Tilligerry Peninsula was covered in the sweep.Officers from the Department of Environment and Climate Change were also involved in the operation, looking for illegal dumpers and rubbish sites.Senior Constable Van Groningen said a person was allegedly caught in the act in the middle of yesterday's search, dumping building waste."Our operation concentrated on a number of issues in the Tilligerry, namely stolen cars, illegal trail bike activity, trespassing on prohibited lands and firebugs," he said.The area includes large tracts of land owned by Hunter Water and the RAAF, bounded by areas controlled by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.Most of the stolen cars had been damaged or stripped after being abandoned along the service access roads and fire trails.Senior Constable Van Groningen said police identified 12 reported stolen cars during yesterday's operation and investigations were continuing to identify the remainder.As police trail bike riders combed the bush, a helicopter swept the area, spotting the clusters of abandoned cars and directing investigators to the scene."The helicopter has been invaluable in helping us locate these vehicles because much of the area is covered in thick bush," Senior Constable Van Groningen said."It has been very successful, and we'll be following up the operation."He said the crackdown on unregistered trail bikes followed reports of riders racing their vehicles.A number of bushfires had also been deliberately lit along the trails.HOW IT UNFOLDED? 70 stolen cars recovered? 10 unregistered trail bike riders issued with infringement notices? Several illegal bush rubbish dumps identified? One person caught dumping? 800-square-kilometre area covered during air and land operation? Agencies involved: the NSW Police Force, police trail bike squad, RAAF security guards, Rural Fire Service, Department of Lands, Department of Environment and Climate Change, National Parks and Wildlife Service, NRMA insurance investigators and Port Stephens Shire Council
© 2007 Newcastle Herald
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