Two men have been charged after a firearm was seized following a crash in Sydney’s west yesterday.
About 9.30pm (Monday 24 January 2022), officers from Cumberland Police Area Command were conducting proactive patrols of the Merrylands area when they noticed inconsistences with the registration plates of a black Honda Accord travelling on Railway Street.
Police turned around to stop the vehicle, when the vehicle allegedly sped off through an intersection and crashed into a Toyota Corolla.
The occupants of the Honda fled the scene on foot. The driver of the Toyota was taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Following a foot pursuit, a 27-year-old man was arrested in a neighbouring property.
During a search of the man, police located a loaded 9mm pistol and a container with five additional rounds of ammunition.
The items were seized and will undergo forensic examination. The man was taken to Westmead Hospital under police guard for treatment of a leg injury.
A short time later, a 24-year-old Bonnyrigg man was arrested hiding under a house on Pitt Street, Parramatta.
He was taken to Granville police station and charged with drive conveyance taken without consent of owner and drive motor vehicle during disqualification period.
He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court today (Tuesday 25 January 2022), where he was formally refused bail and will reappear before Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday 22 March 2022.
Upon release from hospital, the older man was taken to Parramatta Police Station and charged with possess unauthorised pistol, possess loaded firearm in public place, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority and be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner.
He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court tomorrow (Wednesday 26 January 2022).
Subsequent inquiries revealed the Honda was bearing false registration plates and was reported stolen from Box Hill earlier this month.
The vehicle was seized for further examination.
Anyone with information about or dashcam footage of this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
