Monthly Archives: September 2015

Police appeal for information following alleged sexual assault near ACT border

Detectives attached to The Hume Local Area Command uHHare appealing for information following an alleged sexual assault incident in the Wallaroo area, near the NSW/ACT border, earlier this month.

Between 2.30pm and 3.30pm on Wednesday 16 September 2015, it is alleged a 22-year-old man sexually assaulted a 24-year-old woman while stopped in a white Holden Colorado utility on Gooromon Ponds Road.

It will be alleged the man then drove the woman to Wallaroo Road, shortly before the Barton Highway, where he stopped and further assaulted her.

During this time, it’s believed a small black car bearing red ‘P’ plates drove past the Holden slowly.

A short time later, a dark green sedan also drove past the Holden.

The woman attempted to gain the attention of both drivers; however was unable to. The man then drove from the scene.

Officers attached to The Hume Local Area Command were alerted of the incident and commenced investigations.

Following inquiries, a 22-year-old man was arrested in the ACT on 18 September 2015, and extradited to NSW.

He has been charged with one count of aggravated sexual assault and one count of detain person for advantage. He will appear at Goulburn Local Court on Friday 25 September 2015.

Police continue their inquiries into the incident and are appealing for information.

Specifically, they would like to speak to the drivers of the black and dark green car which drove past the Holden, as well as anyone who may have been in the Wallaroo area between 2.30pm and 3.30pm on Wednesday 16 September.

Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers or Yass Police Station on 02 6226 9399.

The man and woman are known to each other.

Liquor store robbery – Armidale

Police are investigating an armed robbery of a liquor store in Armidale last night.

Just after 7.30pm (Wednesday 23 September 2015), a 30-year-old man was working at a liquor store on Queen Elizabeth Drive when a man armed with a machete and a second man armed with a knife, entered the store.

Police have been told the man armed with the machete approached a counter before demanding money.

He stole cash from the till, when a second man, armed with a knife, took lighters from the same counter.

The armed pair fled the scene in possession of a sum of cash. The employee was uninjured and contacted police.

Officers attached to New England Local Area Command attended and commenced investigations.

Investigators are currently examining CCTV and wish to speak to two men who may be able to assist with their inquiries.

The first man is described as being of Aborignal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, aged 20 – 25-years-old, wearing a grey hooded jumper, and a red coloured bandanna covering part of his face.

The second man is believed to have been dressed in black and wearing a black balaclava.

As inquiries continue, police are appealing for any witnesses, or anyone with information, to come forward and contact Armidale Police on 6771 0699 or Crime Stoppers.

Man charged following death of girl – Aberglasslyn

A man has been charged following the death of a girl in the Hunter Valley.

About 5.45am today (Wednesday 23 September 2015) police were called to a home on Redgum Circuit, Aberglasslyn, where they found a 12-year-old girl deceased.

A crime scene was established and detectives from Central Hunter Local Area Command commenced an investigation.

A 31-year-old man was arrested shortly after and taken to Maitland Police Station.

He has been charged with murder and has been refused bail.

He will appear in Maitland Local Court tomorrow (Thursday 24 September 2015).

The incident is believed to be domestic-related.

Inquiries continue.

Child approach incident – Newcastle

Police are appealing for information following a child approach incident in the Newcastle area.

About 3.15pm yesterday (Tuesday 22 September 2015), a woman was at a museum on Workshop Way, when she noticed a man nearby.

The woman has told police the man was acting suspiciously and when the woman’s one-year-old daughter walked past him, he touched the infant’s cheek.

He then left the area and the woman alerted museum security and police about the incident.

Police conducted a number of patrols in the area; however the man could not be located.

Officers from Newcastle Local Area Command continue to investigate the incident and would like to speak to a man who they believe may be able to assist with their inquiries.

He is described as being Mediterranean/Middle Eastern in appearance, aged 25 – 35 years old, about 175-180cm tall and with a medium build. He is described as having a black receding hairline. He is further described as wearing white runners, blue denim jeans and a dark and light blue horizontal stripped tee shirt.

Meanwhile, the incident has again prompted police to encourage parents to discuss the ‘Safe People, Safe Places’ messages with their children, including;
– Make sure your parents or another adult you know knows where you are at all times.
– Always walk straight home or to the place you are walking to. Walk near busier roads and streets, or use paths where there are lots of other people.
– Know where safe places are – a shop, service station, police station, library or school. If you are ever frightened, you should go to one of these places and ask them to call the police.
– Learn about safe adults you can look for and talk to if you need help – police officers, teachers at school, adults you know and trust.
– Don’t talk to people you don’t know and never get into a car with someone you don’t know. If a car stops on the side of the road and you don’t know the person inside, do not stop.
– If you are scared and can use a phone, call 000 and tell them you are scared.
– If someone tries to grab you, yell out, ‘Go away, I don’t know you’. This lets other people know you have been approached by someone you don’t know.

Police investigate death of girl – Aberglasslyn

A man is in custody after the suspicious death of a girl in the Hunter Valley.

About 5.45am today (Wednesday 23 September 2015) police were called to a home on Redgum Circuit, Aberglasslyn, where they found a 12-year-old girl deceased.

A crime scene was established and detectives from Central Hunter Local Area Command commenced an investigation.

Following a search, about 7.55am today, police took a 31-year-old man into custody at Racecourse Road, Rutherford. He was taken to Maitland Police Station where he is assisting with inquiries.

The incident is believed to be domestic-related.

Police continue to conduct inquiries into the incident and are speaking to witnesses.

Police appeal for information after shot fired at home – Wagga Wagga

Police are appealing for witnesses after a shot was fired through the front window of a home in the Riverina this morning.

About 1.30am (Wednesday 23 September 2015), two women – aged 25 and 28 – and two men – aged 32 and 37 – were at a home on Townsend Place, Mount Austin, when the power went out.

A short time later, a shot was fired through the front window. No one was injured.

Police from Wagga Wagga Local Area Command attended and conducted an extensive search of the area; however, no one was located.

A crime scene was established at the home and examined by specialist forensic officers.

It is believed the incident is targeted.

Detectives are appealing for information and, in particular, they would like to speak with a man they believe may be able to assist with their inquiries.

He is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 175cm tall, of medium build, with short black hair and unshaven.

Fatal pedestrian collision – Wallsend

A woman has died after being hit by a car in Wallsend on Sunday.

About 9.20am (Sunday 20 September 2015), emergency services were called to Metcalfe Street following reports a pedestrian had been struck.

Police have been told the 75-year-old woman attempted to cross the road when she was hit by a vehicle.

The woman was conveyed to John Hunter Hospital in a serious condition where she was treated for head injuries.

The male driver of the grey Mazda 3 was not injured. He underwent a roadside breath test, which returned a negative result.

About 9.20am yesterday (Monday 21 September 2015) the woman passed away in hospital.

Officers attached to Newcastle Local Area Command will prepare a report for the Coroner.

Stolen taxi in speedy pursuit

A MAN stole a taxi and led police on a high-speed pursuit of up to 185km/h along the busy Hume Highway while driving unlicensed, police allege.

Officers began pursuing a taxi along the highway at Albury about 8.30am Saturday, following reports the Toyota sedan had been stolen from a petrol station in Tarneit, Victoria, earlier that day.

Police terminated the pursuit when the vehicle allegedly reached speeds of up to 185km/h. Officers re-engaged the pursuit about 10km from Tarcutta, after road spikes were deployed.

The 35-year-old male driver got out of the car and tried to carjack a Toyota Landcruiser before being arrested, police report. Checks revealed his Victorian driver’s license had expired.

He was charged at Wagga police station with two counts of police pursuit, two counts of never licensed person drive vehicle on road, assault with intent to take motor vehicle, and receive property stolen outside NSW. The Victorian man will front Wagga Local Court on Monday.

Protection saves man’s life in Hume Highway motorbike crash

A MOTORCYCLE rider has been seriously injured after crashing his bike at high speed on the Hume Highway in one of several weekend accidents.

Police believe the 62-year-old Melbourne man’s safety gear protected him from more serious injuries as he slid about 60 metres along the road.

He had been travelling south near Chiltern with two other riders about 8am.

A car in front of the group swerved to avoid a dead kangaroo on the road but the man was unable to swerve in time.

His bike struck the kangaroo and he fell off a slid, and his bike travelled about 130 metres.

He was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Albury Hospital with serious injuries.

Leading Senior Constable Brian Tyler said the man would have been travelling at close to 110km/h when he struck the animal.

“He wouldn’t have had time to swerve,” he said.

“He was doing everything right and it shows why you have to be alert while riding a motorbike.

“The protective equipment has definitely saved him from more serious injuries.”

Leading Senior Constable Tyler said truck drivers often hit kangaroos and left the carcasses on the road.

It was difficult to stop and move the dead animals off the highway, especially at night, he said.

The crash was one of at least four accidents in the region on Sunday, with a utility badly damaged in Wodonga, a four-wheel-drive rollover at Yackandandah and another motorbike crash in Bogong.

Leading Senior Constable Tyler said the Wodonga crash had been caused by inattention.

An 18-year-old Yackandandah man crashed into a car turning right from Parkers Road in Niblick Street about 11.30am, which in turn struck a car in front of it.

All three cars were damaged, and the 18-year-old’s utility was written off.

He will be issued a penalty notice for failing to keep a sufficient distance between vehicles.

“People need to be 100 per cent concentrating when they’re on the road,” Leading Senior Constable Tyler said.

“There is no place for lapses in concentration or inattention, because things like this happen.

‘We’re lucky today that there are no serious injuries and everyone gets to go home.”

Man arrested following alleged sexual and indecent assaults – Tamworth

A man is assisting police with their inquiries as they investigate the alleged sexual assault of one woman, and the indecent assault of another, at Tamworth overnight.

In the first incident, just after 11pm (Saturday 19 September 2015), an 18-year-old woman was walking along Kable Avenue, when she was allegedly indecently assaulted by an unknown man on a pushbike.

The man asked the woman to go into the park with him and when she refused he rode off.

During the second incident, about 2am (Sunday 20 September 2015), a 22-year-old woman was walking through Bicentennial Park when she was allegedly grabbed from behind, forced to the ground and sexually assaulted.

The man rode from the scene. Officers from Oxley Local Area Command were told of both incidents and commenced investigations.

Police believe the two alleged incidents may be linked.

Following inquires, about 1.30pm today (Monday 21 September 2015), a 29-year-old man was arrested in Crown Street, Tamworth.

He is currently assisting police with their inquiries at Tamworth Police Station.