Two boys as young as 11 remanded in custody after allegedly stealing car in Geraldton burglary and crashing it

Two boys aged 11 and 13 have been remanded in custody accused of stealing a vehicle worth almost $100,000 in a home burglary while the family were home and crashing it after driving up to 180km/h. Geraldton police alleged the two boys broke into a home in Geraldton through a pet entry door while the occupants — a man, woman and child — were sleeping on about 12.50am on Saturday, January 6. Officer in charge Sen. Sgt Chris Martin said the pair stole a wallet containing $160 cash and a set of keys to a 2023 Nissan Patrol valued at $95,000. He said the boys unlocked the car which was parked at the front of the home and the 13-year-old boy drove it towards Rangeway with the 11-year-old in the passenger seat. The boys are accused of picking up another person at a Spalding address who took control of the vehicle while the 11 and 13-year-old boys sat together in the passenger seats. Sen. Sgt Martin said the car was driven for about an hour before it travelled at 180km/h along Abraham St in Spalding — a residential street with a 50km/h limit — when the driver lost control at a roundabout and the car rolled on to its roof. The occupants fled the scene. Sen. Sgt Martin said the incident and crash were captured on CCTV and dash cam footage. Police arrested the boys about 11am the next day at an address in Spalding. They were taken to the police station and charged with burglary and commit, stealing and steal motor vehicle. In Geraldton Magistrates Court on Tuesday, the 11-year-old was remanded in custody to reappear in Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday, January 11. The 13-year-old was remanded in custody to reappear in Geraldton Magistrates Court on Tuesday, January 16. Police have yet to identify the third person involved.