Northern Territory Police have arrested a 15-year-old after an unlawful entry at the Alice Springs Todd Quarantine Facility.
A resident undertaking mandatory quarantine noticed a series of unauthorised transactions on his credit card at two locations in Alice Springs on Sunday.
Acting Commander Hege Burns said the resident then realised their wallet was gone.
"Between 9:00 and 9:30 in the morning, we had a youth enter the facility," she said.
Acting Commander Burns said while the youth was there he had an interaction with another resident in the facility.
"[He] spoke to another quarantine resident, asking for some cigarettes," she said.
"Then he left shortly afterwards — he was only there for a short period."
The youth was charged with unlawful entry stealing criminal damage and assault police.
'Rare occurrence'
The Todd Quarantine facility is secure, Acting Commander Burns says, but it is not set up as a jail.
"We've had no members of the public walk in without being challenged, or even try to without being challenged," she said.
"But if you have intentions to unlawfully trespass and enter into that facility, then then there is a possibility that you can and this youth did."
Acting Commander Burns said that this "rare occurrence" could see the security presence increased around the facility.
"We'll see what the review says, but we do believe we have adequate security," she said.
Acting Commander Burns said there was little risk of a COVID transmission stemming from the incident and sdaid the alleged offender and the police involved had been swabbed.
"All the residents get tested three times while they're there," she said.
