So far just one today:
1. A thief with balls of brass is alleged to have entered a house in Fadden on Monday night while the owners slept, picked up a laptop, a mobile, cash, and then grabbed the keys for the silver 3-Series BMW which they then made off with after getting it out of [...]

Not content with letting Marist get all the attention, the Canberra Times reports that Daramalan is stepping up its own sex abuse scandal.
Five fresh compensation claims against the school have been lodged in the ACT Supreme Court in the past week on behalf of former students whom Lyons sexually abused in the late 1980s and [...]

A couple of old ones from the weekend which have finally made their way online, as well as the new stuff:
1. We’ve finally got a statement on the alleged forced confinement in the bush.
The woman went missing on Sunday night after meeting the alleged offender in Evatt. Her family reported her missing to police on [...]

The following notices from our friends in blue.
1. A 31 year old has been arrested in Kingston after what sounds like a fairly major alleged armed robbery in Griffith.
Police will allege the male was one of three offenders responsible for staff being locked in a security compound whilst cash and cigarettes were stolen from the [...]

ABC news has a rather scary story about a 26 year old man nicked in Giralang for holding an 18 year old for over 4 days.
Usually, I’m not a fan of tough sentencing, but in this case, I hope this guy gets a long, long stay in the Molonglo hotel.

[First filed: July 15, 2008 @ 18:24]
The Herald Sun reports that the former ACT policeman Michael Hatch has been sentenced to what we can only imagine will be a very hard five months in prison for possessing around 20 images of child pornography on his work computer and another 50 at his home.
An extensive [...]

1. The police inform us that two teenagers from Curtin and Narrabundah were caught yesterday allegedly trying to steal a Hyundai Excel from Constitution Avenue.
Someone called it in and the police got there so quickly they nabbed the lads still in the car park. So nice work by all concerned.
The two youths will face [...]

The ABC informs us that the infamous “Ainslie mother” has been arrested for breaching her bail conditions, but had her bail restored by Chief Justice Higgins.
the ACT Supreme Court heard the woman was taken into custody on Tuesday night after she failed to attend Corrective Services as directed in her bail conditions. Her lawyer, [...]

The following in from our heroes in blue:
1. A woman making deliveries in Chisholm has beaten fought off an atttacker who tried to grab her at 3am. A bit of a worry this one. Despite police calling in the dogs he was not caught.
“The offender was described as Caucasian, approximately 183cm (about 6’) [...]

So… The story is about the NAIDOC ball, the previous story was about rookie police successfully operating a breathalyser.
But why this?
A pint or alco-pop to the best fictional explanation.

[First filed: July 08, 2008 @ 09:05]
The ACT Government has commissioned two independent reviews of how a suicidal woman tried to hang herself with a seatbelt in the back of a Corrective Services van as she was driven from the ACT Magistrates Court to Belconnen Remand Centre.
Last night, the 42-year-old Fadden woman remained in Calvary [...]

The Solomon Times is reporting that after years of ACT Policing officers going over to the Solomons, two of them are coming here.
“While in Canberra, the local officers will do patrols, community policing and other aspects of policing, along side their Australian A-F-P counterparts there.”
There goes any illusions of inferiority the Solomoners might have been [...]

So the latest from the boys in blue:
1. One unregistered boozer has allegedly been busted trying to run away from the police:
“About 3.50am, Belconnen general duties patrols attempted to stop the alleged offender’s vehicle on Southern Cross Drive, Latham after noticing it was not displaying a rear registration plate. The vehicle then accelerated away on [...]

I have my doubts, as I’ve expressed to pollies and Jason Parker (see below). Could be sensational, not to mention slightly disruptive….
Dear Madam or Sir,
  You may be aware of speculation in the media in recent days, and comments by Jason Parker of Porters lawyers on behalf of victims, on ABC’s Lateline last evening, in [...]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/09/2298724.htm
Another fine example of ACT supreme court sentencing.
This would have been a different outcome in NSW.

As I was recently in an accident that involved a bus and a pedestrian does anyone know what happens to bus drivers when this happens? I merely wish to know the process after the fact not to discuss the accident.

ABC recently reported that the laws are being upgraded in the ACT to allow our local police to possess and sell drugs.
It brings our laws into line with other states, allowing officers to buy and sell drugs, without fear of being prosecuted themselves for possessing the illegal substance.
It’s probably surprising they haven’t had this [...]

This story from the ABC a few days ago is a bit of a worry.
“A bill tabled in the Legislative Assembly yesterday would allow police to send people charged with minor offences straight to court.
Police would be able to hand out court attendance notices to offenders on-the-spot rather than spend time arguing the case for [...]

This story from the ABC and again at The Canberra Times
“The ACT Government has moved to make it easier for sexual assault victims to give evidence before the courts. ”
It is good to see that this bill is getting bipartisan support and will introduce some sensitivity to the treatment of sexual assault victims.

The Australian have the story here of the behaviour of Ainslie’s best mum in Court yesterday.
She really ain’t doing herself any favours!

An oil painting by famous Australian artist – Tom Roberts – has gone missing from University House on the Australian National University campus. An extract from the AFP media release (below) provides a bit more detail.
ACT Policing is investigating the theft of a valuable oil painting by renowned Australian landscape artist Tom Roberts.
The work, [...]

ABC online is reporting that Canberra’s new prison will have its full contingent of staff by the time the facility starts accepting inmates later this year, according to ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell
The latest batch of correctional officers to work at the centre graduated at a ceremony at Old Parliament House yesterday.
The officers have been [...]

There appears to be some major police activity in Dickson. Several police cars, fire engines and ambulances surrounding a badly damaged vehicle opposite the McDonald’s Drive Through at the corner or Dickson Place and Badham Street.
The end result of a car chase?

Given the on-going discussion on this forum, comments I’ve received with other Marist Old Boys and broader interest in this case around Australia, I’m considering starting a Marist Canberra Ex-students and Families Association to lobby for an inquiry into Marist during the 1970′s through 1990′s. I think a lobby group of this type would [...]

Does the Police Speed Checking Van flash if over the limit at night like a fixed speed camera?

There is a slient tragedy unfolding here in Canberra. I refer to the increasing number of pets being abandoned as households downsize (due to age or higher interest rates) to apartments which have an outright ban on pets. 
As many of you will know its difficult to find an apartment in Canberra that is pet friendly. Usually a small number of politically active [...]

One of the most heatedly discussed topics on RA is back. The death of DJ McLaughlin by shooting himself in the stomach after a two hour standoff, whilst on the run from Police. Previous threads can be found here, here, here and here. For the newer readers this included some very emotional [...]

Reports of a woman neglecting her 4 children in an Ainslie residence have her facing Court thismorning. Details are provided by ACT Police media here, the Canberra Times here and News.com here.
ACT Police attended the residence re reports she had breached a protection order and found the children living in squalor.
Reports state ACT care [...]

I was coming back from a lovely walk around the lake at about 1pm today when I saw that there were lots of police (atleast 20) that were standing around and had roped off a whole section of City Walk (between Akuna street and the water fountain).
I couldn’t see anything obvious …. but does anyone [...]

I just read a report on News that said that there was one last night at 830pm.
Anyone know more?

Some recent posts about the driving skills (or lack therof) in Canberrans mentioned the increasing number of cars about town with blown headlights or brake/tail lights. I also notice that about 1 in every 10 cars in your average carpark have tyres that are marginal for tread at best or downright bald – especially on [...]

My girlfriend was bashed by her neighbour but when the police arrived they refused to charge him. Claiming since there were no independent witnesses (apparently me witnessing it wasn’t good enough) that it would be a waste of time to pursue and it would get chucked out of court anyways.
They said all this without even [...]