A group of five juvenile boys have been rescued in the outback after their alleged car theft joyride went wrong.
The boys had stolen a Toyota LandCruiser from a car park in Wedgefield, Port Hedland, in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. After driving about 170km from South Headland, they were spotted by police in the Warralong Community.
Where it all went wrong
By a twist of fate, the stolen car ran out of petrol and was abandoned in the outback about 5km off the road. The boys, aged between 12 and 18 years old, were found 16km from the abandoned vehicle.
They didn’t plan to venture into the outback
The situation could’ve had a much worse outcome, given the young boys had no respite from the elements. The Australian Outback is a vast and unforgiving land. We don’t need to explain why its rugged terrain and harsh climate makes it somewhere you need to have a plan for. As we all know, heading into the Outback without being adequately prepared with basic necessities like food and water is a huge no-no.
The arid climate and harsh temperatures of the outback can quickly lead to dehydration and heat exhaustion. Both of which can be life-threatening.
The collaborative effort of the police and Warrawagine Station saved the day
Officers searched for the boys with the help of two station choppers and found them in the afternoon. The boys were flown back to Warrawagine station. They were then given food and drink and taken back to South Hedland Police Station.
All five boys were charged with stealing a motor vehicle. One of them, aged 14, was charged with driving without the authority to drive and failing to stop. WA Police Force Regional Commander, Brad Sorrell, praised the efforts of the police.
“The temperature was over 40 degrees. These juveniles had no water, no food and no reprieve from the elements,” he said.
“This is a recipe for disaster. And if not for the collaborative effort of police and Warrawagine Station, the outcome could have been dire.”
Aside from the obvious, ‘don’t steal motor vehicles’ or ‘drive under age’ or ‘fail to stop for police’, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of being adequately prepared when venturing into the Outback. This means make sure you’re carrying more than enough water. An adequate amount of food. And supplies to last for the duration of the trip, and then some (incase anything goes wrong). As well as having appropriate clothing and equipment to deal with the hot and shade-free environment. It’s also important to have a communication plan in place. This can be in the form of a GPS device or a satellite phone, in case of emergencies. Additionally if you can, make sure you tell people where you’re going and when you’ll arrive. That way you’ve got friends back home keeping tabs on you. Better to always be safe than sorry.
