Two teenage boys are behind bars after being accused of stealing cash and alcohol in connection to a string of burglaries that left 19 Gungahlin businesses dealing with the consequences.
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A 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of their age, faced the ACT Children's Court on Tuesday.
The teenagers have been charged with joint commission going equipped for theft, two counts of joint commission burglary, and intent to commit theft. The 15-year-old boy is also accused of breaching bail.
The boys have been accused of stealing from Hair Journey in Palmerston and Spice Affair Indian Cuisine in Casey.
However, investigations into 19 burglaries at businesses across five suburbs are ongoing and police say further charges against the pair and others are expected. Police believe the burglaries are linked.
Business-owners told The Canberra Times nothing of significance was stolen but many were closed and boarded up on the public holiday.
ACT police said there were nine alleged break-ins at Casey Market Town, three in Nicholls, three in Palmerston, two in Gold Creek and two at Crace shops in the early hours of Monday morning.
Police allege that at about 2.40am on Monday, two stolen vehicles, a grey Subaru Forester and a Red Honda CR-V, arrived at Hair Journey.
They claim three people, including the two boys before the court, got out of the cars.
It is alleged CCTV footage from the time shows the defendants using a blue and yellow-handled sledgehammer to break a glass window before stealing from the business.
Police say that later that morning, the two teenage boys were captured on CCTV stealing open bottles of alcohol from Spice Affair Indian Cuisine.
The prosecution claims that at about 5am, police spotted the two vehicles and starting chasing them through Belconnen before losing sight of them on Baldwin Drive, Kaleen.
Police say that at about 6am, they spotted the two boys walking on Canopus Crescent, Giralang. They allege the 15-year-old threw the sledgehammer onto a grassed area as police approached.
It is alleged police discovered several opened, half-filled bottles of alcohol, coins, black gloves and a black balaclava in the 16-year-old's possession.
The pair were taken to the watch house where the prosecution claims police discovered $315 cash hidden inside the 15-year-old's sock.
Magistrate James Lawton refused bail for both boys.
Prosecutor Hannah Mitchell argued the alleged crimes were "not a spur of the moment mistake".
"This is a premeditated rather than spontaneous mistake," she said.
Defence lawyer Kat Duffy asked the court to grant the 15-year-old boy bail.
She said the boy had "learnt his lesson" and had recently applied to complete year 11 and 12 through a program.
Ms Duffy told the court the teenager was now sober after having some difficulties with drugs and alcohol, namely crack cocaine.
The two boys are expected to reappear in the ACT Children's Court on January 16.
