City Central Local Area Command

Woman injured in alleged glassing – Pyrmont

Police are appealing for witnesses after an alleged glassing in the city overnight.

About 10.20pm (on Saturday 21 November) a group of women were walking on Pirrama Road at Pyrmont when they were approached by a 25-year-old Whalan man.

A verbal altercation occurred before the man allegedly assaulted a 25-year-old Crookwell woman, punching her to the head, before striking her with what is believed to have been a bottle or glass, causing a laceration about her left eye.

Her sister, a 23-year-old Queanbeyan woman, attempted to intervene in the incident and was also allegedly punched by the man, knocking her unconscious.

The man then allegedly attempted to walk towards the Darling Harbour area however a number of witnesses attempted to detain the man, resulting in another altercation where the man was allegedly struck to the face.

Police from City Central attended and arrested the man at the scene. He was taken to City Central Police Station for questioning.

He was then conveyed by ambulance to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for medical treatment. He currently remains in hospital in a stable condition and will be questioned at a later date.

The two women were also taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital where they currently remain under observation. The 25-year-old woman suffered swelling to her left eye and a deep laceration above the left eye which required stitches, while the 23-year-old suffered minor head injuries and cuts.

Police are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident who has not yet spoken to police to contact City Central Police via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Flemington Local Area Command

Car into house – Homebush

A man will appear in court after a car smashed into a house in Sydney’s west in the early hours of this morning.

About 1.15am (on Sunday 22 November) a 20-year-old Epping man was driving a Mini Cooper north bound on Underwood Road at Homebush when he allegedly lost control of the vehicle at the intersection of Short Street.

The car mounted the kerb and crashed into the front of a home causing some structural damage. No-one was injured in the incident.

Emergency services attended the scene and Fire Brigades Officers assessed the damage to the home. The occupants were allowed to return to the home a short time later.

The car was towed from the location.

The man was issued with a future court attendance notice for the offences of negligent driving and driving unlicensed. He will appear at Burwood Local Court on Thursday 17 December 2009.

Shoal Haven Local Area Command

Public seek public’s help following break in, assault of elderly woman – East Nowra

Police have appealed for witnesses after three teenage boys broke into the home of an elderly woman in East Nowra yesterday (Saturday 21 November).

About 5.30pm the 81-year-old woman was in her Carrington Park Drive home when three boys knocked on the door and requested money.

The victim refused the request.

The three males then allegedly went to the bathroom window where they cut through the flyscreen and forced the window open.

One of the males climbed through the window and was confronted by the woman.

The youth struck her on the arm with a curtain rod, causing bruising. She sought refuge in the back of the house while the youth allegedly ransacked the master bedroom and the kitchen, leaving with a cordless mobile phone and a small amount of Australian currency coins.

The three youths were described as about 13 years old. Two were of Aboriginal appearance and one of white/European appearance.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact Nowra Police Station on (02) 4421 9699 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

City Central Local Area Command

Police warning on extortion – Haymarket

Police are warning the Chinese community to be very vigilant after a family fell victim to an extortion deception on Monday the 16 November. A number of similar attempts had been made on others in the days prior to Monday.

About 1.30pm on Monday, a 57-year-old man received a call at work from a young woman claiming to be his daughter and had been assaulted. A man then came on the phone claiming that the daughter had been kidnapped and demanding a large amount for her release.

The man and his wife then paid the caller an amount of cash through a money transfer service before realising that their daughter had not been kidnapped at all. A caller demand to stay on the phone is an attempt to stop this contact with their children.

Police from City Central LAC are investigating the incident and suspect that the call came from overseas.

Police would like to warn the community, particularly the Chinese community, about this sort of crime.

When such a call is received, police recommend the following actions:

• If you receive a threatening phone call demanding money, where your child is supposedly on the phone:-
• Do not disclose any personal details to the caller and do not stay on the phone unless you have alternate phones to use in contacting your children.
• Take immediate steps to contact your children by other means.
• Do not make any payments to the caller, either via phone, internet or cash
• Do not reveal any account details, i.e. PIN numbers, or account names or numbers
• Contact police immediately on ‘000’ to report the incident

Anyone with information on this incident or anyone who can assist police investigating extortion are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Liverpool Local Area Command

One man arrested, charged as police up brawl – Liverpool

Police in Sydney’s south-west are continuing their inquiries following a brawl at a Liverpool park.

Police from Liverpool and Flemington local area commands, the Public Order Riot Squad and Dog Unit responded to reports of a brawl in Bigge Park, near the Liverpool railway station, about 8.30pm yesterday (Thursday 19 November).

Upon arrival, officers found a number of males – aged between 13 and 24 – fighting.

Police quickly restored order to the area and stepped up patrols of the Liverpool CBD into the night to prevent any further disturbances.

A 23-year-old Heckenberg man was arrested by police following a short foot chase and taken to Liverpool Police Station.

The was subsequently charged with affray and bailed to appear in court at a later date.

Police are continuing their inquiries to identify other participants in the brawl.

Anyone with information that might assist investigating officers is urged to contact Liverpool Police via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Eastwood Local Area Command

Police investigate woman’s death – Epping

Police from the Eastwood Local Area Command and the Homicide Squad are investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a woman’s body at Epping yesterday.

Eastwood Superintendent Peter Marcon is appealing to the public for any information relating to this case to come forward.

Eastwood LAC Supt. Peter Marcon

About 8pm on Thursday (19 November) police attended a home in Cooke Way Epping following concerns for the welfare of an elderly resident.

A short time later they discovered the body of a woman believed to be aged in her 70s. The woman possibly suffered a cardiac arrest although a report confirming the exact cause of death has yet to be completed.

The deceased was found in one of the bedrooms as the result of what has been described as “not a particularly brutal attack.”

The woman was reportedly last seen alive at around 11.00 am.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that possibly an overseas student was a boarder at the Cooke Way Epping address.

Eastwood Police established a crime scene and has commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding her death.

Police are still awaiting the results of a post mortem examination and have not yet completed a formal identification.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Eastwood Police on 9858 9228 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Mounted Police Unit

Victor P Taffa

Police horse ‘Wahoo’ badly injured during operation – Bankstown CBD

A police horse has been badly injured after his leg became caught in a drain at Bankstown, in Sydney’s South-West.

About 7.15pm yesterday (Thursday 19 November), local police and specialist units, including the Mounted Section, were taking part in ‘Operation Blow In’ – targeting anti-social and criminal behaviour in and around the Bankstown CBD.

A female senior constable on troop horse ‘Wahoo’ was in the process of issuing an infringement notice to an illegally-parked vehicle in Jacobs Street when the horse stepped backwards onto a steel drainage grate.

Wahoo’s nearside hind leg slipped into the grate and became lodged. As a result, Wahoo fell onto his side and began thrashing about in distress.

Police who were on patrol nearby and six members of the public immediately rendered assistance to Wahoo and attempted to calm him down until local vets arrived on scene and sedated him.

Fire Brigades Rescue crews used robes to stabilise Wahoo during the two-hour operation to free him from the drain. A large crowd gathered at the scene to watch the rescue effort.

Wahoo was treated for facial and leg injuries before being transported back to the Mounted Section’s Redfern stables, where he is recovering today.

Mounted Section Commander, Inspector Kirsten McFadden, said Wahoo is now doing well.

“Wahoo suffered quite nasty injuries to his head and legs and looks a little worse for wear but he’s in good spirits and recovering well. If it weren’t for the quick actions of those police and members of the public at the scene, he would have suffered fatal injuries,” Insp. McFadden said.

“To my policing colleagues and those members of the public who rushed to Wahoo’s aid last night, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude,” she said. “Without hesitation and fear for their safety they laid their bodies over Wahoo to calm and prevent further injury to him.”

Marine Area Command

Marine Area Command conduct dive operation during investigations into fatal yacht crash – South Coast

Police investigating the fatal yacht crash off the state’s south coast last month expect to examine the wreckage next week.

About 3am, Saturday 10 October, police from the Marine Area Command and other emergency services were called to Flinders Island off the coast of Port Kembla after a yacht ran aground.

Eighteen people were on the 18-metre maxi yacht ‘Shock wave’ which was participating in a race from Sydney to Flinders Island at the time.

Fellow crew members and other yachts assisted in the operation, finding 47-year-old Sally Gordon and 48-year-old Andrew Short unconscious in the water.

Despite attempts to resuscitate them, they both died.

Divers from the Marine Area Command will undertake a dive operation off Toothbrush Island near Port Kembla to conduct an underwater survey of the wreckage next week.

It is anticipated the operation will commence the week of 22 November with police divers to make an assessment of the most suitable time to survey the wreckage based on environmental factors such as tide levels, size of swell, ocean conditions and wind speeds with optimum conditions required for the survey.

On Saturday 15 November, police divers undertook a pre-planning dive of the area to assess the underwater conditions.

The underwater survey will form part of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident and will be a vital component of the investigation and the brief being prepared for the Coroner.

Cabramatta Police

Man arrested, charged after $1.5 million cash – Sydney’s west

A man has been charged after police discovered $1.5 million cash stashed in his car at Cabramatta, in Sydney’s west.

Haul of Cash

Police were patrolling Hughes Street, Cabramatta, about 4pm yesterday (Thursday 29 November) when they observed a man in a Mercedes Benz acting suspiciously.

Officers approached the man and a subsequent search of his vehicle allegedly uncovered $1.5 million secreted in cardboard boxes inside the boot.

Haul of Cash

The 53-year-old Cabramatta man was arrested and taken to Cabramatta Police Station for questioning before being charged with money laundering, dealing in proceeds of crime and goods in custody.

Haul of Cash

Police have subsequently executed a search warrant at the man’s home in Hughes Street, Cabramatta and located a further $250,000. As a result he will face an extra charge of money laundering.

Haul of Cash

The man was refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Local Court today.

Haul of Cash

Haul of Cash

Man arrested

Man arrested

Man arrested

Haul of Cash

Shoal Haven Local Area Command

Fatal crash – Conjola

Police are investigating a fatal crash which occurred on the state’s south coast yesterday.

About 2.05pm a Mazda sedan was travelling south on the Princes Highway at Conjola, when it appears to have crossed onto the incorrect side of the road and collided head on with an Isuzu truck.

The driver of the Mazda, a 76-year-old Mollymook woman, died at the scene.

The 30-year-old truck driver was not injured.

The Princes Highway was closed in both directions for a number of hours while police investigated.

A report will be prepared for the corner.

Any witnesses to this accident should contact Shoalhaven Police via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.