Monthly Archives: December 2015

Man charged over alleged firearm offences – Rathmines, near Lake Macquarie

A man will face court after he was allegedly found in possession of a loaded pistol at Rathmines today.

Just after 9am (Wednesday 23 December 2015), detectives attached to Lake Macquarie Local Area Command were making inquiries with a man at a reserve on Overhill Road at Rathmines.

The man allegedly ran from police towards a mobile home parked on the reserve.

Officers ran after the man into the mobile home. The man allegedly produced a pistol and a short struggle took place.

The officers were able to arrest the man and secure the pistol which allegedly contained six live rounds of ammunition.

A further search of the mobile home allegedly located an additional 24 rounds of ammunition.

The 57-year-old man was taken to Toronto Police Station where he was charged with several offences:

– Possess loaded firearm in public place;

– Use offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention;

– Possess unregistered firearm;

– Not keep firearm safely;

– Possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority; and

– Resist officer in execution of duty.

The man was refused bail to appear before Newcastle Local Court tomorrow (Thursday 24 December 2015).

Man charged following multiple pursuits – Lake Macquarie Local Area Command

A man has been charged over a number of alleged police pursuits and drug offences in the Lake Macquarie Local Area Command yesterday.

Just before 10.30pm (Tuesday 22 December 2015), police attempted to stop a red Holden sedan travelling on James Street, Windale, when the driver allegedly failed to stop.

A pursuit was initiated and continued through Garden Suburb, Cardiff and Warners Bay, when the vehicle escaped police.

A second pursuit was initiated on Warners Bay Road, Warners Bay, when police again attempted to stop the vehicle; however the driver again was able to avoid police.

The vehicle and driver, a 31-year-old man, were located on Marmong Street, Marmong Point.

The man was arrested at the scene and the vehicle searched, where police allegedly located a hunting knife and amphetamine. All items have been seized for forensic examination.

The man was taken to Belmont Hospital for mandatory testing, before being taken to Lake Macquarie Police Station, where he was charged with seven offences, including:

– Three counts of not stop for police (Skye’s Law),

– Unaccompanied Learner driver,

– Not display L-plates,

– Possess knife, and

– Possess prohibited drug.

He has been refused bail, to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Wednesday 23 December 2015).

Further charges are expected to be laid.

Man arrested after brandishing firearm at service station – Lake Macquarie

A man will face court today after brandishing a firearm during a shoplifting offence near Lake Macquarie.

Around 11.30pm last night (Monday 21 December 2015), police were contacted after a man threatened staff at a service station on Freemans Drive at Freemans Waterhole. The man had allegedly pointed a firearm at staff members after they confronted him over alleged shop-lifting offences. He left the location in a white Holden ute a short time later.

Police attended the service station and spoke to staff, before conducting a search for the man.

A short time later, police found a white utility parked in bushland near the M1 Motorway. Upon seeing police approach, a man ran from the ute into the bush. He was arrested a short time later.

Police searched the bushland and found a replica firearm nearby.

The man, aged 33, was taken to Toronto Police Station and charged with a number of offences, including:

– Armed with intent to commit indictable offence;

– Assault;

– Four counts of stalk/intimidate;

– Numerous firearm-related offences; and,
– Numerous driving offences.

Bail refused, he is due before Newcastle Local Court today (Tuesday 22 December 2015).

Three men charged after drugs found in hotel stairwell – Wagga Wagga

Officers from Wagga Wagga Local Area Command have charged three men following the discovery of prohibited drugs in a stairwell at a hotel.

About 1pm (Monday 21 December 2015), police were called to a hotel on Lake Albert Road, after three bags of prohibited drugs, believed to be methamphetamine, were located.

Officers seized the bags and an investigation was commenced.

Detectives attended a hotel room and spoke to a 47-year-old man. On searching the room amphetamine and a glass pipe were seized.

The man was issued a field court attendance notice for possess prohibited drug and possession of equipment to administer.

He will attend Wagga Wagga Local Court next year (Thursday 3 February 2016).

While at the location a car drove into the car park, officers spoke to the driver who was subjected to a Roadside Drug Test (RDT), which indicated a positive result.

The man was arrested and his car was searched. Police allegedly located 3.5g of amphetamine and an electronic control device.

The 34-year-old was taken to Wagga Wagga Police Station, where he underwent a secondary drug test with an alleged positive result.

He was charged with supply prohibited drug, possess prohibited drug, two traffic related offences and was refused bail to appear at Wagga Wagga Local Court today (Tuesday 22 December 2015).

While speaking to the man in the car, officers saw another man leave a hotel room, they stopped and spoke to him.

Police searched the hotel room and seized 85g of amphetamine, with an estimated street value of over $30,000, over 3g of heroin, an electronic control device, knives and counterfeit notes.

The 47-year-old was arrested and taken to Wagga Wagga Police Station, and charged with supply prohibited drug x2, and possess counterfeit money.

He was refused bail to appear at Wagga Wagga Local Court today (Tuesday 22 December 2015).

Inquiries are continuing.

Man charged with the murder of Johann Morgan – Tamworth

Police have charged a man with murder following investigations into the disappearance of Johann Morgan.

Ms Morgan was reported missing to police on Sunday 16 August 2015 which commenced an investigation.

Strike Force Chiltern was established comprising detectives from Oxley Local Area Command.

Detectives attended a home in Dubbo yesterday (Monday 21 December 2015) where they arrested a 45-year-old man.

He was taken to Dubbo Police Station where he was charged with the murder of Johann Morgan.

 

Man charged with murder – Tamworth

Detectives have charged a man following investigations into the disappearance of a woman in Tamworth earlier this year.

Strike Force Chiltern, comprising detectives from Oxley Local Area Command, was established to investigate the disappearance Johann Morgan, who was reported missing to police Sunday 16 August 2015.

Investigations led police to arrest a 45-year-old man at Dubbo yesterday (Monday 21 December 2015).

Detectives attended a home on Yulong Street shortly before 7.30pm where they arrested the man and conveyed him to Dubbo Police Station where he was interviewed.

He was then charged with murder.

He was refused bail and will appear in Dubbo Local Court today (Tuesday 22 December 2015).

Inquiries continue.

Man charged after armed robberies – Newcastle City LAC

A man has been charged and will face court following an investigation into a number of armed robberies in Newcastle City Local Area Command this year.

About 4.15pm on Friday 18 December 2015, a 35-year-old man was arrested in Kotara, after information was received from the public.

Detectives executed a search warrant at a home on Kent Street, Hamilton, and located and allegedly seized a shortened firearm, ammunition, and clothing items.

The man was taken to Newcastle police station and charged with robbery whilst armed with dangerous weapon (x3), shorten firearm (not pistol) unless authorised by permit and possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority.

The charges relate to the following alleged armed robberies:

– A post office in Broadmeadow on 1 October 2015,

– A pizza shop on Steel Street, Newcastle on 18 November 2015, and

– A post office in Adamstown on 15 December 2015.

The man was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Monday 21 December 2015).

Man charged over firearm, goods in custody offences following siege – Carrington

A man has been charged over a number of alleged offences, including possess prohibited firearm and goods in custody, following a siege in Carrington early this morning.

Just after 6am (Sunday 20 December 2015), officers attached to Newcastle City Local Area Command were called to Young Street, following reports of a man allegedly armed with a firearm in a unit.

Two women were in the unit with the man at the time of the incident, with one leaving shortly after police arrived at the scene.

Local police, with the assistance of NSW Police Negotiators and officers from the State Protection Support Unit, spoke to the man, and about 10am, he surrendered to police.

No one was injured during the incident.

Police searched the property, where they allegedly located a shortened firearm, tablets and a crystal substance believed to be illicit drugs, and a bicycle believed to have been stolen.

All items have been seized for forensic examination.

The 23-year-old man was arrested at the scene and taken to Newcastle Police Station, where he was charged with possess shortened firearm, possess ammunition, not keep firearm safe, and goods in custody.

He was refused bail, to appear at Newcastle Local Court tomorrow (Monday 21 December 2015).

Investigations continue.

More than 300 fires break out across the state as temperatures soar

Residents were facing a nervous night on Saturday as fires continued to rage across Victoria following a day of record-breaking heat.

As the temperature soared above 40 degrees across the state, more than 300 fires broke out on Saturday.

Several homes were lost in a grassfire near Scotsburn, south of Ballarat, that burnt through more than 3000 hectares.

While a burst of rain slowed its progress in the afternoon, that Scotsburn blaze was one of a number that were still burning at 10pm as firefighters braced for a night of strong, changeable winds and continued heat.

At least one fire was allegedly deliberately lit, with a 34-year-old homeless man charged with reckless conduct endangering life, reckless conduct endangering serious injury and committing an indictable offence while on bail in relation to a fire at Epping on Melbourne’s northern outskirts.

He was remanded to face Melbourne Magistrates Court on Sunday.

More than 50 fire crews and four air tankers — including two from New South Wales — were battling the Scotsburn blaze on Saturday night, while watch-and-act alerts were still in force for fires near Wandin and Marysville.

There was little reprieve expected overnight, with the temperature not expected to dip below 30 degrees before midnight and a forecast wind change.

Earlier in the day, firefighters from three Country Fire Authority trucks survived two separate “burnovers” near Scotsburn. The officers were forced to retreat to their trucks as they became trapped by a fast-moving section of fire.

The firefighters turned on their trucks’ sprinkler systems and pulled down their protective heat shutters.

“They enacted their safety procedures that they’re trained for. They had a successful outcome and they went straight back out on the fire ground,” a CFA spokeswoman said.

Hundreds of firefighters were on the ground during the day, while more more than 50 aircraft – including Firebirds and Helitacks – attacked the blazes from above.

By 3.30pm on Saturday, emergency services had received more than 400 calls.

Among the blazes early in the day were two large fires in the outer reaches of Melbourne – in Wandin North and Epping.

Wandin North resident Geoff Riddle was at home when his view of the Yarra Ranges was suddenly obscured by billowing smoke.

Mr Riddle believed the fire started less than a kilometre or two from his house and four-hectare horse property in Cormilio Drive.

He enacted his fire plan, alerted his wife and rushed to move horses off the property.

As he moved one of the horses from a bottom paddock, it became clear that his property was under serious threat.

“I think the main thing is you really don’t understand what goes on until you experience it,” he said after the extreme danger had passed, and as a team of firefighters doused burning and blackened trees just over his boundary fence.

“It’s pretty daunting when you’ve got that wall of flames coming at your house. And you’ve got all your animals and your property. And everything’s there, and everything is in jeopardy, so it’s a bit of a worry.”

Authorities announced an emergency warning for Wandin North – a town of about 3000 people – just a few kilometres away from the blaze.

Shortly after, residents on the Warburton Highway in Wandin North could be seen hosing down rooftops.

Resident Matt Horton said embers more than 10 centimetres long landed on his property.

Mr Horton, a plumber, attached a rooftop sprinkler system to his house shortly after Black Saturday in 2009. The sprinklers were used on Saturday for the first time to protect against a bushfire, delivering a constant spray of water over the roof.

“Mate, it’s the first time I’ve turned them on for a fire. To be honest, hopefully it’s the last,” he said. Mr Horton said many residents left town when the fire started. “It was like a ghost town, everyone cleared out,” he said.

The emergency warnings were downgraded and the fire was contained on Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, 20 people were taken to hospital with heat-related conditions.

Paramedics were called to 50 heat-related cases throughout the day, as the temperature hit 41.2degrees in Melbourne at 3.20pm. The state’s highest temperatures were not far from Melbourne, with 45.1 degrees recorded at Avalon shortly after 3pm.

Despite the heat, four children had to be rescued from locked cars, frustrating authorities who had spent the week warning parents of the dangers.

Woman located deceased – Rathmines

Police have located the body of a woman who went missing from Rathmines yesterday.

The 69-year-old woman was reported missing at 9pm (Friday 18 December 2015), after missing several appointments.

Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Local Area Command commenced searches of the area.

Just after 4pm today (Saturday 19 December 2015), the woman was located deceased in bushland in Rathmines.

Initial inquiries have led police to believe her death is not suspicious.

Police thank the public and media for their assistance.