Woman attacks man with golf club in Ermington

LINK

September 09, 2010

A WOMAN has been charged after seriously assaulting a man with a golf club at Ermington earlier this week.

Police have been told there was an altercation between the man and woman, who were known to each other, outside a home in Spurway Street about 7.40pm on Tuesday.

A 65-year-old man was allegedly assaulted with a golf club by the 47-year-old woman, who claimed the man had earlier damaged the rear windscreen of her car.

The man was left with serious injuries to his head with suspected facial fractures and eye injuries.

He has undergone surgery for his injuries, however there are concerns that he may not regain the sight in his left eye.

The woman was arrested at Telopea about 3pm yesterday and taken to Parramatta Police Station where she was later charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm with intent.

She was granted conditional bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on October 13.

Inquiries into the matter continue.

Woman threatened in syring hold-up in Waterloo

LINK

September 09, 2010

A 60-year-old woman has been threatened with a syringe in an armed robbery at Waterloo.

eThe woman entered her car, which was parked at the corner of Gadigal and Potter Streets, shortly before 4pm yesterday and a man then allegedly entered through the passenger door and sat in the front seat.

The man demanded money and produced a syringe, threatening the woman.

The woman handed the man a small quantity of cash before he left the car and was last seen walking along Potter Street.

Police were contacted and attended a short time later speaking to the woman who was shocked but not injured.

The woman’s vehicle was seized for further forensic examination.

The man has been described to police as being 177cm tall, with a dark complexion in his late 20s with a medium build.

At the time of the incident was wearing a dark hooded jumper and a black vinyl jacket.

Anyone with information about the robbery should contact their local police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Man 'points stun gun' at mum, 3 kids

LINK

September 10, 2010

A MAN has been charged following a road rage incident in Sydney's southwest in which a car kept veering towards a woman driving her three children while a passenger also pointed a stun gun at her car, police say.

The 39-year-old woman and her children aged four, 14 and 16, were heading north along the Hume Highway at Casula just before 10pm on August 30, when a green Nissan Pulsar allegedly pulled out in front of their vehicle, almost causing a collision.

As the vehicles travelled side by side along the highway, the male driver of the Nissan taunted the woman by continuously veering towards her car, police say.

One of his male passengers also allegedly pointed a stun gun at her car.

The woman eventually drove to Liverpool Police Station, where she reported the incident.

A 19-year-old man has been charged with menacing driving and failing to disclose the identity of a passenger.

Man charged over alleged Ultimo kidnapping

September 3, 2010

LINK

Separately a man is due to appear in Sydney's Central Local Court today, charged over the alleged kidnapping of a teenager.

Police arrested a 24-year-old man after they forced their way into a hotel room in Wattle Street, Ultimo, last night.

Officers from City Central Local Area Command had been called to the business after guests heard someone calling for help about 11pm.

They arrived to see the youth allegedly being dragged into a room by the older man.

Police have been told the 17-year-old, from Epping, was being held against his will following a dispute over money.

A man, from Umina Beach, was charged with kidnapping and was refused bail until his appearance in court.

The teenager was treated for scratches to his arms and neck.

Boy escapes abduction attempt: police

September 3, 2010

LINK

A man has tried to abduct a boy by grabbing his shirt and dragging him away as he walked to a school bus stop in Sydney's south-west, police say.

The boy had been dropped off in Leacocks Lane, Casula, by his brother just before 8am yesterday, police said.

He was grabbed by a man described as 30 years old and of Asian appearance.

But he broke free and ran back to his brother, who was sitting in a car parked nearby.

Police began canvassing the area last night after the incident was reported to them about 8.30pm, and continued speaking to local residents today.

They have urged parents to be vigilant and advised children to avoid walking on their own.

Gunmen storm Sydney home and force woman to her knees

September 2, 2010

LINK

Two armed men stormed a Sydney woman's home, forced her to her knees and stole a small safe from the premises.

The woman heard loud banging at the front door of her home in Belfield, in Sydney's south-west, about 11pm yesterday, police said.

Two masked men armed with guns confronted her in the hallway.

One of the men forced the woman to her knees while the other man searched the house, police said.

They eventually found a small safe which contained a small amount of cash and fled with it.

The woman was not injured.

Both men were described as being of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, aged between 18 and 20, and about 170-175 centimetres tall with solid builds.

They were both wearing tracksuit pants and hooded jumpers and used scarves to cover their faces.

Anyone with information is urged to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Elderly women threatened in home invasion

August 15, 2010

LINK


TWO men armed with sawn-off shotguns terrorised the female residents of a home on the New South Wales mid-north coast during an attempted robbery.

The masked intruders broke into the Bonny Hills home about 4am (AEST) on Saturday and threatened the women, aged 75 and 54.

They demanded the younger woman open a safe in the home but she refused and locked herself in her bedroom.

She screamed for help and managed to climb out of her bedroom window and run to a neighbour's house.

Both intruders fled the scene with one of the women's handbags.

Neither victim was physically harmed during the incident.

Gang attacks man

August 15, 2010

LINK

POLICE are investigating a vicious, unprovoked attack on a man by a gang of up to 10 men at the Eltham railway station car park on Friday night.

Senior Constable Mia Paterson said the victim, 37, from St Andrews, was set on by the gang about 7pm. The gang members were described as males aged 16 to 20.

Men rob pub with bat and screwdriver

August 13, 2010

LINK

Two men have robbed a pub in Sydney's inner west using a screwdriver and a baseball bat to threaten patrons and employees.

Two balaclava-clad males entered a hotel in Victoria Street, Concord West, about 12.45am today.

One man threatened a male employee with a screwdriver and demanded cash while the other man went to the public bar and waved a baseball bat at patrons, striking a man on the arm.

The pair fled the hotel with a cash drawer.

One of the robbers is described as possibly Pacific Islander/Maori in appearance, about 178 centimetres tall with a thin build.

He was wearing black pants, a black, long-sleeved, hooded top, black gloves and was carrying a baseball bat.

The second male is also described as possibly Pacific Islander/Maori in appearance, with an athletic build.

He was wearing long pants, a long sleeve black top and was carrying a screwdriver.

Police investigate Sydney gay bashing

August 14, 2010

LINK

A prominent gay rights activist was among four men allegedly assaulted by a lone attacker on Oxford Street in central Sydney on Monday night, in what the activist believes was a homophobic hate crime.

Police have charged a 34-year-old male with assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation the attack on activist Simon Margan - the co-convenor of Community Action on Homophobia - and three other men.

The attack left Mr Margan bleeding on the ground with a severely fractured left eye-socket.Police will allege it was one of four separate assaults by the same man at different locations along the famous party strip.

Mr Margan was treated at St Vincent's Hospital along with another of the alleged victims who suffered bruising and swelling to his left eye.

"I was walking up Oxford Street toward Crown Street when a flying kick just missed my head," Mr Margan said.

"I thought he might have a knife, so I stepped back to call for help. When I turned away to call down the street he kicked me again - hitting me in the eye."

Mr Margan said the same man had made violent homophobic comments toward him a few days earlier as he put up posters promoting a gay rights rally taking place a Sydney Town Hall today.

"Every time I turned around he was there ranting about eradicating gays on Oxford St. It was more full-on than you usually get, so when I saw him on Monday night I was really scared he was going to do something extreme."

The 34-year-old make was denied bail to appear in Central local court on Monday, where police will allege that he was affected by alcohol. They also will present video footage from CCTV cameras on Oxford Street as evidence.

A police media spokesman said that there was "no indication that the men's sexuality was involved[as a motive] in the attack", but Mr Margan said he was in no doubt about his attacker's motive.

He said gay hate crimes were not uncommon on Oxford Street, but were only occasionally reported.

"People seem to think, 'I've been assaulted, I'll just get on with my life'," he said.

"We need people to call these attacks what they are - hate crimes. If people don't report them, then they're not setting an example for the next time it happens and the next time."

The Town Hall rally is part of a nation-wide action calling for marriage equality.

Shot fired into shop as robber flees

August 15, 2010

LINK

USTOMERS and staff were terrorised during an armed hold-up at a Sydney supermarket yesterday afternoon.

Witnesses said the man, armed with a sawn-off shotgun, forced more than 20 customers on to the floor of the Aldi supermarket in George Street, Parramatta, as he took money and valuables.

The man, described as Caucasian and wearing a black hooded top, swore at customers and fired a shot at the door, shattering the glass, before driving off in a silver car.

''It was an Aussie guy with a huge sawn-off gun,'' said Eugene Pas, who was in the shop at the time.

''The lady next to me was trembling. He grabbed the money and put it in a bag on the floor. Everyone was scared.''

One mother, who asked not to be named, said she was doing her weekly grocery shopping when the robber stormed in.

''I was so scared for my family, my kids were sitting outside and I didn't take my eyes off them.''

One elderly woman who was waiting in the cash register queue said she was still in shock.

''It was very threatening,'' she said. ''He was yelling and swearing for everyone to get on the floor.

''Today we have witnessed violence that we never see.''

Chirhe Petel, who was in the shop, said the ordeal lasted about 10 minutes.

Kathy Ayubi, who was attending her second beauty therapy class in the shop above, said she had never heard such a loud gunshot.

Late yesterday police said the gunman was still on the run.

Store employee hits would-be robbers with their own weapon

June 22, 2010 - 11:21AM

A female employee at a takeaway store north of Newcastle grabbed a piece of timber from two would-be robbers and struck one of them with it last night, forcing them to flee.

Ten minutes later, men of a similar description went on to rob a similar food outlet.

Police say the men had their faces covered when they stormed into the first premises at Medowie about 7.20pm.

Three staff members were in the store at the time. They fled empty handed after the woman attacked them.

Two men entered a similar shop soon after and threatened two female staff members with hammers before fleeing with a sum of cash.

Neither woman was injured.

A short time later, officers located a burned-out vehicle believed to have been used in the robberies.

Detectives are investigating the incidents and the likelihood they are linked.

Anyone with information should phone Port Stephens police on 4983 0599 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.