Two local 13-year-old boys have admitted lighting a fire that destroyed an abandoned house at Ingleside Road, Ingleside.
Emergency services were called about 3:20pm on Sunday, 23 August 2026, after the vacant wooden house was found well alight. Fire and Rescue NSW and the Rural Fire Service extinguished the blaze, but the building sustained extensive damage and was deemed unsafe to enter.
Police placed a guard on the property overnight, and Northern Beaches Detectives began investigating the following day. NSW Crime Scene Officers and Fire & Rescue investigators examined the scene, while inquiries and CCTV footage helped identify the two boys.
Both boys attended Mona Vale Police Station with their parents on 24 August, where they were interviewed and admitted to lighting a small fire inside the house. They will each be issued a caution under the Young Offenders Act 1997 for damaging property by fire.
Mona Vale jewellery thief jailed over $15,600 necklace theft
A man extradited from Queensland over an alleged jewellery store theft at Mona Vale has been jailed for four months after fronting Manly Local Court.
Police allege that on 18 March 2026, the then 20-year-old man stole a gold necklace, valued at $15,600, from a Mona Vale jewellery store. The man allegedly put the chain on and ran from the store following a brief struggle, fleeing in a getaway car.
Police tracked the car to Chatswood that same afternoon, where local officers arrested the man and recovered the necklace from his pocket. He was charged with larceny and granted conditional bail, but failed to appear at Manly Local Court on 9 April, prompting a warrant for his arrest.
The man remained outstanding until 4 August, when Queensland Police contacted Northern Beaches Detectives to advise he was in their custody and due for release following unrelated property charges. Northern Beaches Detectives travelled to Southport the following day, where a Queensland court authorised his extradition. He was flown to Sydney and taken to Mascot Police Station, where he was initially refused bail.
He later appeared at Bail Court and was granted conditional bail ahead of a further Manly Local Court appearance. The now 21-year-old has since been imprisoned.
Police pursuit through Collaroy ends in Brookvale arrest
A 28-year-old man has been charged after allegedly leading police on a pursuit from Collaroy to Brookvale.
About 9pm on Monday, 24 August, police patrolling Pittwater Road, Collaroy spotted a green Audi RS3 sedan linked to an earlier driving complaint at Mona Vale. Police will allege the driver failed to stop for lights and sirens, prompting a pursuit that ended when officers caught up with the car on Pittwater Road, Brookvale.
A search of the vehicle and driver allegedly turned up a small quantity of cocaine, a sum of cash and a flick knife.
The man was taken to Manly Police Station, where he declined to be interviewed. He was charged with police pursuit, possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing a prohibited drug, and having goods in custody suspected of being stolen. He was granted conditional bail to appear at Manly Local Court on 2 September 2026.
Manly teenager targeted in sexual extortion scam
Police are again warning Northern Beaches families after a 17-year-old Manly boy was targeted in a sexual extortion scam last week.
On 26 August 2026, the teenager received an Instagram message from someone claiming to be a 17-year-old girl. The conversation moved to another platform, where the boy sent intimate images of himself. The offender then threatened to share the images with the victim’s friends and family unless he paid money.
The teenager made a small payment before the offender demanded more, at which point he told a parent, who advised him to stop paying. He cut off contact and reported the matter to police, who are working to trace the offender’s contact details and identity. Sexual extortion offenders are often based overseas, making them difficult to identify and prosecute.
Police are sharing this story to alert the community to the risks of sharing intimate images online. Once an image is sent, control over where it ends up is lost.
The eSafety Commissioner’s advice for anyone targeted in a sextortion attempt is to not pay, not reply, block the user, save evidence, and lock down or deactivate accounts.
If you or someone you know needs support, the eSafety Commissioner offers guidance on image-based abuse.
Police seek help identifying person over Belrose Officeworks theft
Police are seeking the public’s help to identify a person who may be able to assist with inquiries into a stealing incident at Officeworks, Belrose, at 2:10pm on 25 July 2026.
Anyone who recognises the person in the below image, or has information, is urged to contact Dee Why Police Station on 02 9971 3399 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Reports can be made anonymously and should quote reference number E88386017.
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