Blacktown: Masham Angara in court after alleged incident at Westpoint Shopping Centre

A young man who allegedly sparked a dramatic incident at a major western Sydney shopping centre after allegedly stealing a 15cm meat cleaver has made a bid for freedom.

Masham Angara, 21, was made an application for bail in Blacktown Local Court after an alleged incident at Westpoint Shopping Centre.

A young man who allegedly sparked a dramatic incident at a major Blacktown shopping centre has made a bid for freedom.

Plumpton man Masham Angara, 21, was arrested at Westpoint Shopping Centre on Monday afternoon after he allegedly shoplifted a 15cm meat cleaver and terrorised shoppers by waving the weapon around.

He was charged with shoplifting, armed with intent to commit indictable offence, custody of a knife in a public place and stalk/intimidate intend fear of actual harm.

He has not entered a plea.

Masham Angara, 21, made an application for bail in Blacktown Local Court after an alleged incident at Westpoint Shopping Centre.

Angara spent the night in police custody and faced Blacktown Local Court on Tuesday to make an application for bail.

The court was told he allegedly shoplifted the knife and proceeded to enter several other shops in the centre while brandishing it.

One man who allegedly saw Angara waving the knife called triple-0, fearing for his safety and others.

The court was told when police arrived, the meat cleaver was found abandoned in a different shop among sports equipment.

Police tracked down Angara a short time later, who was interviewed and allegedly told police what he had done.

The incident, including the alleged shoplifting, was captured on CCTV.

Lawyer Charlotte Oliver said it was unclear why her client had allegedly stolen the knife, but he claimed to be “concerned” about other people in the Blacktown area, which may have had something to do with peer pressure.

Westpoint shopping centre in Blacktown city centre. Picture: Damian Shaw

Ms Oliver said there were no allegations of mental health issues or drug use involved in the alleged offences.

She said if her client was to receive bail, his conditions could include living with his parents and siblings with a 10pm to 5am curfew, being banned from returning to Westpoint Shopping Centre and to reporting to Mt Druitt police daily.

Magistrate Debora Maher said the biggest concern with granting Angara bail was the risk of him committing further offences, especially given he was given a conditional release order in May 2024 for a custody of a knife charge.

She said there was no evidence Angara threatened anyone directly in the alleged incident at Westpoint, but was nonetheless alleged to have made it known he was armed.

Ms Maher denied Angara bail and he will return to the Blacktown Local Court on Friday.