Darwin area shut down for manhunt

Part of Darwin is in lockdown and residents are being warned to stay away from their homes as police hunt a fugitive wanted over the beheading of a man in northern NSW.

More than 100 Northern Territory police are involved in the manhunt for Jonathon Andrew Stenberg, 56, accused of beheading Edward Kelly, 54, of Broadwater last week.

NT Police Commander Richard Bryson said people in the cordoned-off area of Darwin’s rural outskirts should be on the alert.

“Make no mistake, this is a very serious situation,” Cmdr Bryson said.

“In policing terms, this is as serious as it gets,” he said.

He said people who lived in the affected area should try to make arrangements so they didn’t have to return home.

Police located Stenberg’s car on Tuesday morning acting on information from NSW police, and officers sighted the fugitive but decided not to arrest him.

“The members were not in a position from a personal safety perspective to engage the person,” Mr Bryson said.

He said the car contained a long-arm firearm, but it was suspected that Stenberg also had access to handguns.

The wanted man had a background that meant he would be at home in bushland, Cmdr Bryson said.

He warned members of the public not to approach Stenberg who is thought to be armed and dangerous.

Outside the cordoned-off area, local resident Graham Matheson said a lot of people had been unable to return to their homes after work.

Although his family had managed to stay together, they could not get back to their house.

“I don’t know how long I will stay here,” he said.

“So far, I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Tourists Michael and Anne Carmody from Drouin in Victoria were prevented by police from returning to their accommodation at a caravan park.

“It sure does leave me surprised it would happen here,” Mr Carmody said.

“But it adds to the excitement of our holiday,” he said.

Police later announced residents would be allowed to return to homes that had been cordoned off.

Cmdr Bryson said people who lived locally had been given phone numbers to call should they notice anything out of place when they returned to their premises.

“While residents can return home, we ask them to remain vigilant and lock their houses and vehicles,” Cmdr Bryson said.

A large police presence will remain in the area overnight.

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