Detectives have charged a teenage boy over his alleged involvement in an armed robbery on the state’s Mid North Coast last year.
Strike Force Kelburn was established by the State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad to investigate three separate armed robberies in Kempsey between November and December 2020.
- About 4.40am on Saturday 28 November 2020, a man – armed with a crowbar – allegedly forced entry into a service station at Lachlan Street, South Kempsey. The man left the area empty handed following an unsuccessful attempt to open a cash register. He was last seen heading along Graham Lane.
- Just after 2am on Wednesday 2 December 2020, three men – armed with knives and machetes – allegedly forced entry at the same service station at South Kempsey. The trio stole cash and cigarettes before leaving the area. They were last seen heading along Graham Lane.
- Just after 4.30am on Sunday 20 December 2020, two men – armed with a crowbar and a hammer –entered a service station on the Pacific Highway at South Kempsey. A female staff member was allegedly assaulted before the men stole cash and fled the area. The pair were last seen entering a vehicle parked nearby.
Following extensive investigations and a public appeal for information, strike force detectives, with assistance from Mid North Coast Police District, executed a search warrant at a home at South Kempsey from 7.20am today (Wednesday 5 May 2021).
A 16-year-old boy was arrested and taken to Kempsey Police Station, where he was charged with robbery armed with offensive weapon.
Police will allege in court that the boy was involved in the armed robbery on Wednesday 2 December 2020.
He was granted strict conditional bail to appear at a Children’s Court on Wednesday 9 June 2021.
Investigations under Strike Force Kelburn are continuing.
