One adult and three teenagers have been charged following a police operation and investigation into two alleged carjackings in the Inner West and South Coast yesterday.
About 3.40am (Thursday 14 July 2022), police received reports a rideshare driver had allegedly been assaulted and threatened with a weapon by four males while travelling on Victoria Road, Marrickville, before his vehicle was stolen. The driver, a 22-year-old man, was not physically injured.
Officers attached to Inner West Police Area Command commenced an investigation into the incident.
About 8.15am, the car – a Toyota Prius – was found alight on Braidwood Road, Sassafras. The fire was extinguished and the vehicle seized to undergo forensic examination.
Then about 8.40am, officers attached to South Coast Police District received reports a motorist had picked up three hitchhikers on Braidwood Road.
They allegedly threatened the driver – a 73-year-old man – with a weapon before stealing his car. The driver was not physically injured.
The vehicle was involved in a short pursuit, before being located abandoned at Araluen Road, Araluen, with the three occupants allegedly fleeing into nearby bushland.
The sedan was seized and will also undergo forensic examination.
A large-scale coordinated search of the surrounding area commenced by officers from Monaro Police District, with assistance from specialist police including PolAir, the Dog Unit and Traffic and Highway Patrol Command.
Shortly before 2pm, an adult and two youths – aged 18, 17 and 16 – were arrested after being found in bushland on Araluen Road, Reidsdale.
They were taken to Nowra Police Station where they were charged with aggravated take/drive motor vehicle with person in it – armed with weapon.
The two juveniles are in a Children's Court today (Friday 15 July 2022), while the adult is in Nowra Local Court today.
A third youth – aged 17 – was arrested at Narellan Police Station earlier the same day. He has been charged with be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner. He's been granted conditional bail to appear before a children's court on Thursday 4 August 2022.
