A teenager has been charged with vandalism in Wollongong. Photo: Frogman1484.
A teenager has been charged after he allegedly caused significant damage to Gwyneville mosque.
A NSW Police spokesperson said officers were called to the mosque on Foley Street at about 3 pm on Wednesday (24 July), after reports of extensive vandalism.
“Police were told internal and external walls of the location were broken and damaged,” the NSW Police spokesperson said.
“Officers established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“Following inquiries, at about 1 pm on Tuesday (30 July), officers attached to Operation Regional Mongoose arrested a 14-year-old boy at a Children’s Court.
“He was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station and charged with three counts of destroying or damaging property in company and entering enclosed land not prescribed without a lawful excuse.
“He was also charged with affray and two counts of shoplifting.”
The boy was granted conditional bail to appear at a Children’s Court on Tuesday 18 August 2024.
The NSW Police spokesperson said police will also allege in court that the 14-year-old was involved in a number of offences in June and July, including graffitiing North Wollongong Railway Station.
The arrest was made as part of Operation Regional Mongoose, a high-visibility police operation to tackle serious property-related crime committed predominately by young offenders.
In June 2024, Regional Mongoose was established in the Illawarra to investigate offenders across the Wollongong and Lake Illawarra Police Districts, with assistance from the Region Enforcement Squad.
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