Police have arrested five people after a house invasion at Hazelbrook involving “what appeared to be a baseball bat and a firearm”.
Blue Mountains Crime Manager, Detective Chief Inspector, Dietmar Allmer, said about 4pm on Sunday June 24, a 35-year-old Hazelbrook man was inside his home with several friends, when they saw three people approaching the house allegedly with a baseball bat and a firearm.
“The resident and occupants took cover in the lower section of the house and contacted Triple 0 while three males forced entry to the premise by kicking in a lower door and searching through personal belongings of the occupant,” Chief Inspector Allmer said.
“The males decamped in a Black Holden Cruze, occupied by two females who were waiting outside the location. At approximately 4.20pm the vehicle was sighted and a dangerous vehicle stop was performed by Blue Mountains police on the Great Western Highway, Bullaburra. All five occupants were arrested and a search of the vehicle located numerous items of interest.”
A 29-year-old Hazelbrook man, two 30-year-olds from Merrylands and Blackheath and two Katoomba women, aged 18 and 23, have been charged with special aggravated break and enter with intent – armed with a dangerous weapon, with the 23-year-old female also charged with driving a motor vehicle while disqualified. All are currently in custody pending appearances at Penrith Local Court this week. Police are appealing for anyone who was around Valley Road, Hazelbrook, between 3.45pm and 4.15pm on Sunday June 25 who may have witnessed any suspicious persons / activity or who may have dashcam footage to contact Springwood Police station detectives on 4751 0299 and quote reference: E68421521.
Leura fire
Police are investigating what caused a fire in the early hours of Monday morning [June 25]. At approximately 5am a Leura resident was woken by the sound of crackling outside his home. Upon closer inspection he noticed a neighbouring residence was well alight and contacted emergency services. By 5.30am the home was completely destroyed.
The home was unoccupied at the time.