JOYRIDERS who ignore warnings about entering the Salt Ash Weapons Range will be the target of an ongoing police and RAAF operation.
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Five Port Stephens residents aged in their 20’s were arrested and charged with trespassing on Commonwealth land on Friday after police allegedly spotted them in a car at the range about 7pm.
Three cars were stopped during the June 24 and 25 operation at the weapons range, which is bounded by the Port Stephens suburbs of Medowie, Oyster Cove, Swan Bay and Salt Ash.
Seven people, including the five arrested on Friday night, were searched and 13 charges in total were laid against trespassers.
Port Stephens police crime manager, Detective Inspector George Radmore, said Operation Hornets involved officers from the Port command, RAAF security police and National Parks and Wildlife Services rangers.
It came about after RAAF staff noticed a rise in the number of trespassers in recent months, Detective Inspector Radmore said.
”There are high levels of danger to the public in trespassing on these lands, with the possibility of unexploded ordnance and other hazards associated with military operations,” he said.
“The bottom line is stay away.”
A 21-year-old Salt Ash man will appear in court next month after he was allegedly found driving a car with four passengers at the weapons range about 7.15pm on June 24.
Police will allege that when officers hailed down the car to stop, the 21 year old attempted to drive away but became bogged.
The driver and his passengers – a Medowie woman, 20, a Lemon Tree Passage man, 22, a Mallabula man, 20, and a 20-year-old Tanilba Bay man – were arrested and taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station.
They were all charged with trespass on Commonwealth land and enter park closed to the public under National Parks and Wildlife Regulation.
The driver was further charged with drive in a manner dangerous, drive unregistered and drive uninsured vehicle.
They will all appear in Raymond Terrace Local Court on July 25.