On Thursday afternoon, 18 December 2025, around 3pm, Northern Beaches Police Area Command responded to reports of an assault at Manly Beach.
Police were told a 16-year-old boy allegedly struck a 46-year-old male lifeguard.
While no injuries were reported, the teenager was arrested and taken to Manly Police Station where he was issued with a ‘Youth Caution’.
The lifeguard has requested privacy at this time, and we will not be publishing any details on his identity.
However, the incident appears to have had a degree of severity to it that Manly Observer is not privy too as patrols have been increased in response to it.
“This weekend’s patrol will be extra vigilant with additional precautions put in place following this incident,” Tim Cuthbert, President of the Manly Life Saving Club, told Manly Observer.
“For example, we will ensure lifesavers will patrol in pairs and be able to contact our operations centre directly should anything occur.”
Today Saturday 20 December, at the start of their shift, Surf Life Saving Clubs across the country, including Manly Life Saving Club and many across the shoreline stood shoulder to shoulder for three minutes of silence to pay their respects to the Bondi shooting victims and the life savers from Bondi Surf Bathers’ Life Saving Club and North Bondi SLSC who attended to victims last Sunday evening.
Police reveal 3D printer plastic guns seized at Belrose in September 2025
Local police have this week chosen to highlight concern over the ability to create imitation firearms using 3D printers. In September 2025, Northern Beaches Police were alerted to social media posts of an AK-47 rifle and a Glock pistol.
The posts included comments about the guns being incapable of firing rounds. Police promptly tracked down the Belrose owner of the plastic guns and identified that they were inert and made with a 3D printer.
The creator was a teenage boy who made them as props, and they were not intended for use in an offence. The parents were cooperative with police and immediately surrendered the guns, which were remarkably realistic until handled. Police destroyed the guns and no charges were laid.
Police said they have raised this issue in light of the recent terrorist attack at Bondi. Law enforcement agencies and the community will remain on a heightened alert for some time.
Police remind the community that it is an offence to possess an imitation firearm without a permit. That includes gel blasters. They are easily purchased online via interstate websites, but gel blasters are illegal in NSW.
The NSW Firearms Act defines an imitation firearm as an object that, regardless of its colour, weight or composition or the presence or absence of any moveable parts, substantially duplicates in appearance a firearm but that is not a firearm.
“If it looks like a real gun, it’s treated like a real gun.”
This does not include an object that is produced and identified as a children’s toy.
Christmas decoration bandits
Police have had two reports of Christmas decorations stolen from homes.
At about 2am on Tuesday, 16 December 2025, thieves stole an inflatable reindeer from a balcony at Romford Road in Frenchs Forest. A male resident was alerted by a doorbell camera and went out to investigate. He caught the teenage thieves, who apologised and returned the reindeer to the owner.
A Christmas dinosaur was not so lucky.
On the night of Monday, 15 December 2025, thieves stole a giant green inflatable dinosaur from a home at Hews Parade in Belrose. They cut the ropes and carried away the 2.5 metre tall creature crowned with a Santa hat. Anyone with information about the stolen dinosaur is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Identity fraud suspected in mobile phone purchases
On 16 December 2025, a woman from Warriewood noticed her phone bill was higher than normal and enquired with her phone provider, who told her a new device was added to her account. This was without her consent.
On 17 December 2025, a woman from Ingleside reported that a mobile phone was added to her account without her knowledge. There were unpaid bills for the new phone account, and a police report was made to support action taken by the phone provider.
Police strongly suspect the two incidents are cases of identity fraud.
They said it appears offenders had access to personal details and used them to purchase mobile phone handsets. Both women detected the frauds early because they checked their phone bills. Police said this is a good reminder to check your bills and to report any case of identity theft to idcare.org – a not-for-profit offering expert support into scams, identity theft and cybercrime.
