On the Beat

Police are seeking witnesses to a serious assault that occurred on February 5 after the Sharks vs Eels football match at Oakes Oval. The assault, which occurred around 11pm on the corner of Cathcart and Conway streets, was interrupted by witnesses in three cars, who stopped the assault and dropped the victim home to a residence in East Lismore. Police spoke to the potential witnesses at Hungry Jacks a short time later. These witnesses are asked to contact Constable Brown from Lismore Police on 6623 1599.

Police are seeking witnesses, and warning Goonellabah residents to be mindful, following the robbery and assault of a 20-year-old Inverell man in Rous Road at 1.30am on Friday morning. The male was walking home from a party at the university when he was set upon by seven young people, all in their late teens. They allegedly tried to cover their faces with their shirts before punching the man, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly kicking him. The man sustained cuts, bruises and soft tissue injury. The offenders stole a small amount of cash, a mobile phone and some personal items. Witnesses are urged to contact Lismore Police on 6623 1599.

Two teenagers aged 15 and 16 were arrested and charged with break and enter last Friday in Ballina after they were caught using rocks to smash windows of local businesses. A witness staying at the Ramada Units in Ballina informed police in the early hours of Friday morning that two young males were walking along property awnings on the first storey in Riverview Arcade. They were carrying a torch and buckets of rocks, and were seen smashing windows in the adjoining building. After seeing police, one of the offenders fled on foot across the rooftops of neighbouring shops. He was found a short time later on the awning of the St George Bank in River Street. The Ballina Fire Brigade was called in to get the offenders off the awnings.

Police are reminding visitors to local beaches and swimming holes to be mindful of their valuables following an increase in break and enters into motor vehicles at these locations. Thieves are generally stealing mobile phones, wallets and handbags from the beachfront. Recently two young people were also caught breaking into a vehicle at Dalwood Falls.

A 27-year-old and 80-year-old man were both lucky to escape serious injury when their cars collided at the intersection of Corndale Road and Lockton Road in Corndale on Monday around 4.15pm. It appears the 80-year-old Goonellabah driver failed to stop at a give way sign, his Toyota sedan colliding heavily with a Hyundai sedan on his right. The 27-year-old received a cut to his elbow and was treated at the scene. The older male was uninjured.

Police are warning people to secure bicycles following the theft of a pushbike between 8.30 and 11am on Monday from a yard in Leycester Street, Lismore.

Police Rescue squad members from Lismore helped save a local farmer's horse on Monday morning, after it fell down a well on Gibson Road, Caniaba. Whilst mustering cattle, several of the farmer's dogs fell down the well, which had collapsed and become exposed. While attempting to remove the dogs, the man's horse fell backwards into the well. The horse's head was held above water with a rope, while Police tried to remove the beast (named Humba Hawk) using slings. These attempts were unsuccessful and a crane was eventually called in to rescue the animal, which was sedated for stress. The horse was uninjured.

Police are seeking information after a nine-year-old boy wielding a knife attempted to hold up a Lifeline store in Ballina around 10am on Monday. The boy allegedly looked around the store for some time, before approaching the shop volunteers with a large blade and a pink cloth with slits for eyes over his head. He asked the store attendant for money, but fled down River Street on a BMX after she threatened to call police. The boy is described as Caucasian, with sandy coloured short hair, wearing a grey baseball cap, three quarter-length white pants with black and red stripes, a grey t-shirt and sneakers. Any information to Ballina Police on 6681 8699.

Police are seeking information in relation to a break and enter that occurred between February 24 and March 1 in Teven Street, Goonellabah. After breaking into the premises offender/s damaged drainpipes in the kitchen and bathroom, pulling them from the wall. They then stuffed curtains into the drains and turned on all the taps within the house, causing parts of the house to flood. The damage bill is expected to run into the thousands. Any information to Constable White at Lismore Police on 6623 1599.

Witnesses are being sought after a $3000 motorcycle was stolen from outside Dr Dirt Motorcycles in Phyllis Street, South Lismore, between 2.30 and 3.30pm on Tuesday. The motorcycle is a blue and white Yamaha GT125Y mini motorbike. Any information to Lismore Police on 6623 1599.

A Grevillia man was airlifted to Lismore Base Hospital around 4pm on Tuesday with a chainsaw stuck in his leg above the left ankle. The man was building a fence at Gradys Creek, north of Kyogle, when his chainsaw flipped back and cut into his leg. A lady nearby called an ambulance and helped shade the man with an umbrella while he calmly waited for help to arrive. He underwent surgery on Tuesday evening to remove the chainsaw and is now in a stable condition.