Latest Bureau of Crime Figures released Wednesday (June 11) indicate motor vehicle theft is down 20 % in the Western Plains(January to March 2025 ) but local police are asking about two cars left burnt out in Narromine, urging local help.

A stolen ute was left in bushland on the Warren Road completely burnt out .

It is understood it was used at a service station and but the petrol not paid for. 

It was taken from Burroway between Narromine and Dubbo between Sunday 8 and Monday 9 June.

In a second incident in Craigie Lea Lane, a vehicle was stolen and set alight on Saturday 7 June.

It is not only a problem in smaller western towns but alo in bigger regional centres like Dubbo, Orange and Bathurst. 

In Orange a community meeting held with Police and PCYC highlighted community anger about the destructive and dangerous behaviour of young people aged 13 to 16, stealing and burning cars and even slashing tyres.

A state government review into youth crime released their preliminary findings on 29 May [Nip youth crime in the bud early: Inquiry report] but are not due to complete their work until early 2026.

It is not known if teenagers were the offenders in the latest crimes.

Narromine has become something of a focal point for the issue following an exclusive Sydney Morning Herald story on Tuesday 9 June 9.

''It’s a moment on the side of a NSW country road, the sun beating down on a crumpled car wreck, that now defines the high stakes of policing youth crime for Deputy Commissioner Paul Pisanos.

"Three months ago, a group of teenage boys embarked on a 300-kilometre high-speed rampage after allegedly stealing a Toyota FJ Cruiser from a service station near Narromine, in the west of the state.

"A person died in the incident."

“My heart goes out to our police facing the dilemma of trying to protect the community and enforce the law at the same time in what is more often than not youth with complex backgrounds.”

 Police have urged community to come forward or contact crime stoppers over the latest incidents.